The Forbidden Element: A Sapphire Blaze
by Nikkome Konno
Summary: LAST BOOK IN TRILOGY: While Ed and Erika were gone, disaster struck Amestris.Despair, tragedy, and betrayal leak in every corner.A war had started and the military is more dangerous than ever.Even so, Erika is determined to stop this war, even if it means dying.And Ed is determined to not let that happen. They're fighting for their lives and who they love.But what about them? Ed/OC
1. The Land of White and Truth

**Fullmetal Or Elemental: The Sapphire Spark of it all**

**The Forbidden Element: A Sapphire Blaze**

**_"A dream isn't a dream if it comes True; If it's going to become a reality, turn it into a goal," -ANOMYNOUS_**

_"Human kind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. __  
><em>_To obtain, something of Equal Value must be lost.  
><em>_That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange.  
><em>_In those days, we really believed, that to be the world's one, and only Truth..." _

* * *

><p>"<em>Who am I? I go by many names. One name you might call me is, the World. You may call me God, the Universe. Or perhaps Truth. I am All, and I am One. But that also means…I am you."<em>

Erika stopped dead in her tracks at its presence. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what was going on. She mentally scolded herself for not knowing it sooner. Was it the shock of realizing she was from the other side of the Gate? Or was it the pain she had received earlier? She didn't know what it was; she was paralyzed. It was almost a game to her. Like it didn't actual mean _reality_. Like it wasn't really _true_. But now she figured it out.

This isn't a game. This is _truth_.

Erika stayed still to compose herself. Erika slowly absorbed her surroundings, looking around the void landscape. There was nothing in sight. Just plains of white darkness. Despite it being white, it was like a darkness. Nothing to obtain, or see. Just blankness. Erika slowly stood up straight, coming to her senses. Her eyes turned normal, and no longer were in shock. If her memories were still valid, if they still even _existed, _she would find them here. This is where her true self lied. This was where she'd find herself once again. But there is one obstacle in her way.

Equivalent Exchange.

She licked her lips as she attempted her voice. She found that she hadn't spoken for several minutes. "So. You are Truth," Erika said. She examined the being before her, with no features at all…

But one flesh leg.

Erika's eyes widened as she clenched her fists, suddenly being engulfed by anger and desperateness. "Is that…?" Erika asked quickly, noting her tone of voice. So fragile.

The white being grinned again. "So you decided to call me Truth. Strange choice of words for an Eyes of the Soul," Truth said and began to gesture to the pale skin of the leg. "Yes, yes. You are correct. This is indeed Edward Elric's. Given to me at such a young age."

Erika growled. "Don't talk like he's an idiot. I'm the only one allowed to call him that," Erika said, her eyes glinting with faint sarcasm. Truth chuckled.

"Oh yes. Does this bother you? I am sorry; I've seemed to have forgotten that he is one who had survived a Human Transmutation," Truth said. "Is there another form you'd feel more comfortable with me having? There are quite a few that I can choose of. But there is one that I feel would anger you."

"Anger me?" Erika asked.

Truth chuckled. "Nevermind my babbling. Now. What have you come to bargain me with?"

Erika looked down. "I need to pass through the Gate." she deadpanned. There was a long moment of silence. She figured Truth was playing it out in his/her, or rather _its_, head. How was she going to pay the toll? In fact, Erika was thinking the same thing. What was she going to pay? An arm? Leg? Her entire body; what was it going to be? She let the possibilities roll around in her mind when Truth chuckled again, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"What _Gate _are you talking about?"

Erika looked up startled. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion of Truth's question as she came with a logical question. "What are you talking about? I'm referring to my-"

"As I ask again, _what Gate are you talking about?" _Truth said and pointed at her. "Turn around, girl."

She did as instructed and turned around slowly. When she turned around, she saw another plain of white blankness. Confusion filled her sapphire eyes as she looked around to find nothing. She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked down at her hands. How is it that she doesn't have a Gate? She racked her mind for possible answers, to find none. She thought of asking Truth, but figured she'd have to compensate for her question.

"Confused?" Truth asked. Erika didn't move as she stared down at her hands.

"How…?" Erika asked, rather herself than Truth. Truth hummed in understanding.

"I'll tell you without any compensation." Truth offered. Erika hated the fact that she was indebted to such standards, but she nodded nonetheless and turned to Truth. "You are confused as to why you haven't a Gate. But child, the answer is simple."

"What is it?" Erika asked. Truth chuckled, finding it ironic she'd ask a question she knew she'd already have the answer to.

"You are an Eyes of the Soul," Truth started, allowing the silence to instill the information in Erika's mind. "Eyes of the Soul are a form of Soul; an Element to the equivalency of myself. Soul, on the other hand, is entitled to the Spirit Realm. Another form of Truth to those who cannot perform Alchemy."

"Can't perform Alchemy…" Erika muttered to herself. "You mean to say that I don't have a Gate because I can't use Alchemy?"

"In short, yes. But," Truth said. "If you hadn't noticed, Art of the Elements isn't a form of Alchemy. I thought it'd be quite obvious to one such as yourself."

Erika's eyes glinted over in an unreadable emotion. Her lips started to turn into a sort of smirk/smile. Something only Erika was able to do. "So you're saying that, I was never able to perform Alchemy in the first place."

"Correct."

"Wrong." Erika said immediately after Truth's response. Truth looked up, surprised to be corrected in such a way. Erika smiled determined as she looked Truth in the eye, well, where its eyes are supposed to be. "I was able to perform Alchemy. The Spirit Realm is an Equivalency of you, but…" Erika stopped as Truth stared at her.

"But," Erika continued. "The Spirit Realm isn't in a different place. Rather, it's still here. Truth," Erika said. "You said that it was for those who cannot use Alchemy, true, but you aren't telling me the whole deal. In fact, those who perform Art of the Elements cannot use Alchemy, correct, but those who are Eyes of the Soul _can _use Alchemy." Erika said.

Truth chuckled. "Go on."

"The reason Soul had chosen such as myself, Casey, and my Mother, is that we were and still_ are _able to use Alchemy. Arts of the Elements are for those who had lost their inner ability for Alchemy and who simply could not perform it." Erika reasoned. "My Mother had explained this concept to me when I was young, and Casey had researched her entire life for this theory. So in other words, I had a portal all along."

Just then, wind blew all around them. It blew forward Erika's chestnut hair and almost knocked her off of her feet. Truth seemed unaffected and just stood there, with no recognition at all. Erika turned around as a small, blue dragon spiraled out of the ground. It hovered in front of her, and then glowed. Behind it, a small door formed. It was a stormy gray, with all Eight Elements' symbols. An orb of water for Water. A red, blazing flame for Fire. A tree with spiraling branches for Earth. A swirled form of lines creating a ball of wind, for Air. A lightning bolt for Electricity. A dark mass with devil wings for Darkness. Two angel wings for Light. And a spiraling blue dragon with two graceful wings, for Soul. Erika smiled while Truth chuckled again.

"Tell me," Truth said. Erika turned to it. "How did you find that I was lying?"

Erika smiled. "Well, at first I didn't suspect it. But as I tried to process all that happened, I put two in two together,'" Erika said. "When I had first arrived, and all of the information and knowledge was crammed into my brain, I saw three images. I saw Casey, the Soul's sign: a Dragon, and Mom. On the other side of the Gate, I had gained information that allowed me to decipher this from lie and reality."

Truth grinned. "Despite finding all of this out, you aren't bypassing the laws of Equivalent Exchange." Truth said.

Erika closed her eyes. "Yeah, I know." Erika said. "And I thought about that too, on the other side of the Gate," Erika said. "For my memories, I can just exchange some other memories for those right?"

Truth laughed emptily. "I like how you just went right into your memories rather than passing through the Gate again," Truth said and turned to Erika. "Yes, you are right. Which memories would you like to exchange for your lost ones? I'll keep in mind that you have regained most of your memories so it won't cost you for those you have received already."

Erika nodded in relief. _Thank God… _Erika thought in relief. _Now. Which memories should I give up? _Erika thought. Images of Kat, Nate, and Derek all rang throughout her mind and she immediately disregarded them. She knew for certain she wouldn't trade those memories for anything in the world. So she thought more so of those she didn't mind forgetting. Then it hit her.

"Does it have to be memories that I care about?" Erika asked. She knew she was pushing her luck; it was lucky enough she had found out Truth was lying. Truth shook its head.

"No; any memories are acceptable. Just has to be memories." Truth said.

Erika smirked. "Then I'd like to exchange all of my memory of any form of anime." Erika declared. Truth stared at her. "I've been watching anime for part of my life. It should be enough to pay for those I haven't regained yet. My anime Memories are a whole lot less significant rather than my other ones."

Truth chuckled once again. "As you wish. Your memories, not mine. Amusing your choice of memories though. Consider it done." Truth said. "But bear in mind, there is a Fullmetal Alchemist Anime. That information may be vital to your life in Amestris. Are you sure you want to abandon that?"

"Go ahead." Erika said.

Truth chuckled. "Well, good luck Eyes of the Soul."

Erika's 'Gate', rather door, opened, and small black hands cascaded over her body. They dragged her backwards and into her portal, slowly taking her away from the Realm of truth. Erika's eyes widened at the realization. She fought back as she kicked back the hands and towards Truth.

"Wait!" Erika cried as she tried to get to Truth. "What about the Equivalent Exchange for crossing the Gate! Truth! What's the payment!"

Truth laughed as it pointed at the young girl. "You haven't realized it have you!" Truth exclaimed as it grinned.

"Realize what!" Erika shouted. A large eye appeared in her portal to Truth. What startled her was the fact that it was a piecing sapphire blue, which made her eyes widen. She darted her eyes back to Truth, with fear and anger consumed in her sapphire orbs. Truth chuckled as it held out its hand. In it, formed a glowing blue dragon that floated in Truth's palm. Erika's eyes widened as she dropped her defense from the black hands.

"Someone has already given me your payment," Truth said as the dragon danced in the air.

"Who is that!" Erika shouted, with anger.

Truth grinned. "Be thankful that the payment was so large that it has the ability of the philosopher's stone. It paid part of Edward Elric's crossing over the Gate."

"What are you talking about damn it!" Erika shouted. "Who paid you! So help me, if it's who I think it is I'll!"

"You'll what?" Truth asked as it frowned. "I've done nothing to you. It was his choice to give up such a large mass of Eyesight and Eye of the Soul."

"Eye of the Soul?" Erika asked as the door started to close. "You mean you could be born with only one eye of the Soul!"

"You must figure that out yourself, Erika Violet Evans: Sapphire Spark Alchemist." Truth said as the doors started to come to a close.

"_Hey sis."_

Erika flared up in anger. As she shrieked,

_Kawashita hazu no yai Yakusoko ga…_

"TRUTH!"

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><p><strong>Bottom Note!: Hello everyone! And thank you for reading once again! I highly appreciate all of your support and just plain reading this! It means a whole lot to me! Now, this chapter is in dedication of FMA Day. October Third. 3.10.11.<strong>

**A moment to commemorate Ed and Al's loss...**

**(sorry if this sounds cheezy, but it really is a touching moment and great meaning behind it.)**

**Until next chap everyone! until next chap! **=:D


	2. Snow Filled Amestris

Before Erika could blink, a white light engulfed her entire body. The pressure from the aftermath had swished all the air from her lungs and slowly, ate away her body and soul, leaving her in white darkness. Erika had long since left that tragic place of Truth and was now lying on some sort of ground. A cold, almost fluffy substance. Erika groaned as she held onto her pounding head. Her entire body ached, and she had one hell of a headache. She got up slowly, and lifted her upper body up with her arms. She hadn't realized it, but she was face down onto the floor, rather than on her back. She cracked open her eyes to be met with a cloud of fog dissipate and escape from her lips. Erika was still aching as hell, but managed to prop herself up on her knees. Once she was balanced enough, she sat on her knees and stuck her hand in the white ground below, picking up a small amount of white earth, that still fell from the sky.

"It's winter…" Erika said softly making a cloud of fog appear near her lips. Erika dropped the snow she was holding and grabbed her satchel, grateful to see something that wasn't white. This is about the only time she dreaded seeing the snow. She clutched her bag up to her chest and hugged it, causing prickles to shoot through her freezing hands. She hoped she knew where she was. Where she was! She racked her mind desperately to remember all instances of her life, from when she could remember. Images of Amy, Winry, Pinako, Alphonse, and Casey plagued her mind. Erika smiled. She regained her memories. She wondered what Ed had to pay for his toll. Slowly, her smile melted as her eyes widened. She scrambled to her feet, almost falling in the process.

"EDWARD!" she shouted on the top of her lungs as she ran around the land she had found herself on.

"Whaddya want?" a voice snapped.

Erika darted her head to the voice. Relief flooded her entire being as she saw two golden eyes glare at her in annoyance. His eyes were gold, so that meant that his contacts were lost in the process. Erika sighed with relief as she crashed to her knees, trying to stop her heart rate from beating any faster. She didn't realize how worked up she got when she didn't see Ed. The blond rubbed his head, obviously having a headache just like her. Erika looked him over, seeing his well being. She crawled over, and started examining him. She tapped Ed's left leg to be met with a hard substance. _Automail. _She thought instantly. She began to look him over once again, searching him for any abnormalities. She tapped Ed's right arm.

To be met with a hard substance.

Erika's eyes softened as she slumped her shoulders and hid her eyes in defeat. Ed looked at her, blinking his eyes. When he saw the grim expression on her face, he panicked, feeling it was his fault somehow.

"W-What's wrong?" Ed asked trying to see her face if her mood had changed. Unfortunately, her hair had grown since he last remembered, so it covered the most part of her face.

"Sorry…" Erika said softly.

Ed was taken back a bit at her fragile tone. "W-Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything…" Ed said, trying to reason with her.

"Your right arm…" Erika said as she touched it, still having her head down so Ed couldn't see her face. "It's…automail…"

Ed opened his mouth as if trying to say something clever to cheer her up. He looked around, trying to find something to inspire him. He found nothing but empty streets, of an abandoned town and falling snow. He looked back at Erika, still seeing the sad expression cascade over her entire being. Ed thought quickly, laughing nervously. He grabbed his right arm as he began to move it around naturally.

"So what if it's automail?" Ed said nervously. "I basically lived my whole life with it! It doesn't bother me really! See?" Ed asked trying to get Erika to look up. No luck. He laughed nervously again. "No harm, no foul, am I right?"

At that moment Erika's head darted up as she put her face closer to his, her eyes looking like azure gems. She grabbed Ed's wrist as she leaned forward, putting her face mere inches away from his. Ed's cheeks were blown over by pink at the closeness in her position. Her eyes may have been sorrowful, and glinted with nothing but sadness and regret, but they still amazed Ed beyond recognition. He stared into them, his golden eyes softening at her tone.

"You mean this doesn't bother you?" Erika asked. "That living in this body, incomplete? You have no arm, and no leg! How can you say that this doesn't bother you?" Erika asked with a certain tone that Ed hasn't noticed with her before. She looked down slightly as she tilted her face away from his. "That you regained what you lost…only for it to be taken away from you again."

"Evans…" Edward said gently. He tried to look her in the eye, but she looked away. She released her grip on Ed's wrist as she rested her hand on the ground again. Ed tried to read her face, but she hid it from him, as if ashamed. Ed was about to put his hand over hers, but her hand clenched into a fist suddenly.

"Elric…" Erika said softly. Ed flinched at how she used his last name. Something was off, but oddly familiar. "Elric, you…you…" Erika said softly. "YOU TROUBLE MAKING MIDGET!" Erika shouted and brought up her fist and hit him over the head with it.

Ed was sent falling backwards, onto the ground again, blood now spurting from his head. Ed shot back up by instinct rubbing the spot she hit. "OW! What the hell!" Ed shouted. Her hit felt like Winry's wrenches. Only harder. It surprised him really. She had never hit him like that before, and she certainly never seemed she would. Anger slowly covered her face as she stood up quickly and yelled at him further.

"You Trouble Making Midget! You freaking idiot!" Erika shouted at him, not having any mercy show. Ed was quite shocked actually. She was madder than ever. "It doesn't bother you?" Erika repeated, fuming. "It doesn't bother you knowing that you lost your right arm right after you got it back! How long did you enjoy that arm! Five months!"

Ed stood up, annoyed of how she viewed everything. She was making it seem as if he didn't care either way. He only said that to cheer her up and this is what he was rewarded with? "So what! At least I know I can get it back!" Ed shouted to his defense. It didn't melt Erika's icy demeanor so he continued. "You make it sound like I don't care about this!"

"That's how it sounds like to me Elric!" Erika shouted. "Why can't you just care about yourself for once! Your life was fine, but no! You had to go and do something stupid! You idiot!"

"Something stupid?" Ed yelled, unintentionally voicing his thoughts. "You mean to tell me that you think saving you and bringing you back to Amestris was stupid!"

"Apparently you didn't think this through!" Erika yelled. "Why can't you tell that I knew that I exchanged myself as an Equivalent Exchange on purpose!"

Ed's eyes widened as he stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at the girl, mesmerized, shocked, confused. Had she really said that? Had she really give herself up as an Equivalent Exchange? She _really_ did all of this…went through all of this….made _him_ go through all of this….to know that this _wasn't_ an accident? Ed opened his mouth for a retaliation, something to say, in response to this. But no sound came out. He just stood there, staring at her like an idiot. Erika noticed his dumbfounded look, but disregarded it as she glared at him. Still angry at him for pulling such a dangerous task. Ed blinked his eyes as he tried to sort it out in his head.

"Y-You mean to t-tell me…t-that all of this…Was BECAUSE you WILLINGLY gave yourself up as Equivalent Exchange!" Ed yelled, enraged. He was angry alright. No. Angry didn't quite sum up what he was. He was FURIOUS.

Erika growled as she crossed her arms over her chest. She realized what situation she put herself in. He was pissed; and she knew it fairly well. Sure, she had to admit that it was an idiotic choice, but she had her reasons. Ed was fuming, and clenched his fists in anger. He was past yelling at her, he wanted to hit her over the head. So he did. He brought up his hand and swung it down onto her skull as a similar death karate chop to hers. Erika winced in pain as she cradled her head, yelping in pain. She turned to him with pain inflicted across her face.

"What was that for!" Erika cried as she rubbed her soar head. That hit was far worse than her encounters with Sikes.

"THAT WAS FOR BEING A COMPLETE MORON! WHY WOULD YOU _EVER _CONSIDER DOING THAT!" Ed blared.

Erika shouted to her defense. "I did it because if I hadn't, Alphonse wouldn't have gotten his body back!" Erika yelled. "The Spirit Realm offered me the chance to give him his body back if I was to travel to the other side of the Gate! I knew how much it meant to you so I did it! I did it for you! There! Happy!"

Ed was silenced at that remark, as he calmed down. He unclenched his fists as he stared down at the snowy ground. She had done this for him? She went through such a hard time, for his sake? Ed closed his eyes as his anger had seeped away from him, far away. He smiled warmly as he turned away from Erika, who was still confused by his actions. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he began to walk forward, leaving a very confused filled Erika behind him. She stared at his back, finding his shoulders so broad and confident. It was long since she had seen him like so. She stared at him with an unreadable emotion filling her sapphire orbs, as a soft wind blew against her face and Ed's as well. It blew at both of their hair softly, causing Erika's hair to tickle her nose slightly. Ed didn't look back, and kept walking. He stopped abruptly, causing Erika to blink her eyes.

"Are you coming? I think there's a few certain people who'd like to see you safe and sound. And besides," Edward said as he began walking again. "Al has a thank you to say."

Erika didn't need Ed to turn around for her to know that he was smiling. Erika smiled too as she nodded. "Right." Erika said as she walked up to Ed, trying to match his pace. It didn't take long for her to be a step or two behind him, and a smile cascaded over her features as she stared up at the ever ending sky. She knew one thing for certain.

_Kawashita hazu no yai Yakusoko ga…_

It was time to go back home.

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><p><strong>Bottom Note!: Now, you know what exactly happened...sort of. :P Well, here's a chapter. FOUR DAY WEEKEND HERE I COME! There's two half days after today and then the four day weekend? I think that this is the golden week. ^-^<strong>

**Well, Until Next Chap! **=:D


	3. A Train Stop

**Top Note!: Here's a chpater for you! One of my longer ones I guess. Enoguh of my rambling. Here you go!**

* * *

><p>Erika and Ed had started walking off into the midst of the snow filled land. They were slowly making their way out of the abandoned town and into civilization. They both walked in silence, not wanting to break apart from the peaceful sound of the wind. To be honest, they didn't have much to say really. Ed glanced in Erika's direction to find her muscles relaxed and a smile in her eyes. Ed smiled slightly. He knew fairly well that she was just relieved to be back in Amestris. Ed looked forward, taking in the oncoming sunrise. He was happy to be back too. Erika stopped abruptly, making Ed turn to her in confusion. He rose an eyebrow as he confronted her.<p>

"What's wrong?" Ed asked.

"Well, we've been missing for quite a while now," Erika said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't you think people would get suspicious if we just reappear suddenly?"

"What's your point?" Ed asked.

Erika sighed as she glared at him. "Really?" Erika asked. Then she pulled over her hood, masking her face some. "I think we should at least hide our identities until we get to Central Command. We don't typically need anybody crying out our names and tackling us to the ground."

Ed was about to retaliate, but was silenced once Erika's glare reached him. Ed grumbled something under his breath along the lines of 'Figures the Hot Head would get her way…' Ed reluctantly complied to the thought out situation and pulled his hood over his head. Erika stared at him a little while longer with her hands on her hips. She cupped her chin in thought while she thought something through, annoying Ed of her constant staring.

"What?" Ed asked, annoyed.

Erika walked over and tugged at the sleeve of his flaming red coat. "I don't think this red coat of yours is going to help hide your identity," Erika said simply, frowning.

Ed turned around as he examined himself, trying to find out what she meant. He just had his old red coat on, what was wrong with that? "What about it?" Ed asked, turning around, finding his alchemist sign sewn on the back.

Erika sighed again as she face palmed herself. "Really?" Erika asked again in annoyance. She sighed once more, striding over to Edward. She cupped her chin in thought again as the perfect idea came to her. Erika lifted up her hands as she bit her lower lip. She prayed silently in her head, hoping that it'll work. She rose her hands and then clapped, having no reaction.

"Damn…" Erika cursed as she dropped her hands to her sides.

Ed blinked his eyes, before having the meaning hit him. He smiled sympathetically as he lifted up his hands. He clapped his hands and pressed them to his coat, causing alchemic sparks to fly from his hands. The glow illuminated Ed's smirking face and a black faded across Ed's coat. The black masked the red, and now he had a brand new coat; one no one would recognize. Erika sighed in disappointment, but relief nonetheless that his coat was now a generic style.

Erika frowned at her incomplete transmutation. Ed chuckled lightly as he put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. Erika's cheeks passed on a small tint of pink at the new gesture, one he had never done. She looked up at him who had a goofy grin on his face.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I'm sure you just need your armband and then you'll be in alchemy's reach in no time!" Ed said, trying to cheer her up. To Ed's happiness, it worked and Erika passed on a small smile.

"Yeah, sure. Just thought I wouldn't need a transmutation anymore since I passed through the Gate," Erika said.

"Look at it this way, Al couldn't use alchemy without a transmutation circle and he saw the Gate too," Ed said. Erika nodded in acknowledgement.

"You're probably right," Erika said as she started to walk forward. They soon saw a light illuminated city, and Erika ran forward without a single thought. "CIVILIZATION!"

"Evans!" Ed called and then groaned.

He ran after the brunette with an annoyed expression on his face. He soon reached her at the end of a bus station, sitting down on a bench, looking down at her hands. Ed sighed as he walked up to her, unable to see her face. He was about to take off her hood, but thought better and sat next to her. He glanced in her direction to find her quivering slightly. He rose an eyebrow and put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the new gesture and turned to him, her eyes big with a different emotion he couldn't read.

"What is it?" Ed asked.

"I found out what the date was," Erika said. "It's December 23."

"Day before Christmas Eve? We couldn't have chosen a better day. I can't wait to see the expression on the Colonel's face when we arrive on Christmas day as his present!" Ed said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Erika laughed as she looked up at the sky. A snowflake fell onto her face and melted on her cheek, causing a drop of water to trickle down. She held out a hand and caught a snowflake in her hands making it melt within her cold, yet warm hands. She looked disappointed at it, but soon disregarded it. "Hey Ed?" Erika asked. Ed turned to her. "Do you know why snow's white?"

"I've never really thought about it." Ed admitted as he looked up at the snow that was falling from the sky in gentle snowflakes.

"They say it's white because it forgot what color it was supposed to be," Erika said and then smiled.

Ed stared at her, a gentle smile on her face and such a maturity that Ed hasn't seen before. It seems as though he were meeting a different person for the third time. The first, in Ashwell. The second on the other side of the Gate. And the third...Well. He'd have to get to know her again. An idea struck him as he dug through his pockets, in search of something. He rummaged through them, when he hit a cool substance that clicked when it touched his automail. Ed took it out as he opened up the small trinket he'd never leave behind. Erika turned to him as she leaned over and stared at the item in his hands.

"Don't forget…" Erika read off.

Ed blushed as he closed the small pocket watch and stuffed it in his pocket again. Erika arched an eyebrow at him as he looked to the side flustered. "Just thought I'd check the time is all…" Ed said, looking to the side.

Erika shook her head with a small smile. She stood up and stretched. "Well, our legs don't move by themselves. Let's go. Got any money on you?" Erika asked.

Ed checked his pockets, and sighed with relief. He pulled out a few dollars and counted it. "Just enough for two train tickets." Ed said and glared in her direction. "And you said I should've gotten rid of the jacket."

Erika laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. She muttered something quickly before she ran off to the trains station calling: "Come on ya shrimp! We haven't got all day!"

Ed fumed at his 'nickname' and started to run after her. "HEY! IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS AND YOU STILL CALL ME SHRIMP! COME BACK HERE YOU HOT HEAD!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Ed sighed as he stared at the sleeping girl before him. As soon as the train started moving, she fell asleep. Fortunately, the train was near empty so he could take off his hood. He had long since turned it back to the flaming red color his coat was. Ed stared at the sleeping brunette before him and he leaned over and pulled down her hood, showing her calm face. Ed smiled as he loomed over her face once more, finding it not covered in a stone hard expression, or a fear masked one either. It was an actually blissful sleep, one she hadn't had for a long time. He couldn't blame her for sleeping. She must have been tired out from her encounter with Truth. Most people would be tired out from it. He had grown numb to the terror of facing Truth, for he had learned to get over it long ago. But his meeting this time was quite peculiar.

FLASHBACK…

"_Why hello Edward Elric."_

_Ed stood up and stared before him. A void, white being with only but a single flesh leg. His leg. And an automail right arm. His arm. His artificial one at least. Ed nodded in acknowledgement. "Truth."_

"_You've come to pass through the Gate I presume," Truth said. Ed nodded._

"_Evans passed already right?" Ed asked. Truth stared at him. "What'd you take from her?"_

_Truth chuckled as it grinned. "Sorry, but that's confidential." Truth said. "What you ask is simple. And you're lucky today."_

"_Oh, am I?" Ed asked, suspicious. _

"_Very lucky indeed. Someone has decided to pay your toll. So you may pass the Gate unscathed of full payment." Truth said._

_Ed rose an eyebrow. "Who paid for my toll? Evans didn't did she?"_

_Truth chuckled again. "Oh no. She paid what she owed." Truth said. "In the meanwhile, I'm assuming you are the one who took the notebook to the other side of the Gate? Hm?"_

_Ed nodded slowly. Unsure whether he should trust Truth or not. "Yeah…what of it?"_

_Truth chuckled again. "No need to be alarmed, boy. It is nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, you helped that Eyes of the Soul to get majority of her memories back. I'd say that was an accomplishment."_

Just by one simple notebook_. Ed thought_. Thank you Casey. I'm going to have to thank you later. _Ed looked behind him, and sure enough, was the immaculate Gate. "The one thing that separated this world from Amestris. The Gate that holds all of the information. The Truth of it all."_

_Truth grinned. "Indeed it is," Truth said and then frowned at Ed's confident overturn. "Don't get cocky, boy. The toll for passing the Gate is done, true. But. You still must pay the price of taking that of one side, to the other. That green notebook that you took?" Truth said. "It cost that Eyes of the Soul from payment. She was able to due away with her compensation from full price, in which she should have paid. You've disrupted the balance, and that is why you must give me something in return."_

"_In order to gain something, something of equal value must be lost. Equivalent Exchange." Ed said, nodding in acknowledgment. "I understand. What are you going to take away from me?"_

_Truth lifted up its right automail arm and it slowly dissipated into nothing, leaving trails of dust floating around. Truth put down its arm and stared back at Edward, grinning. Slowly, a horrible pain engulfed his right arm. Ed winced as he put his hand over it, in an effort to make the pain go away. Ed's eyes widened as he felt it slowly break apart, into little particles. Ed didn't dare cry out in pain, and instead gritted his teeth against each other. Slowly, his arm had disappeared completely, leaving nothing but a lone gaping hole where his arm used to be. His pain was short lived as his automail arm had grown out, covering the empty place where his flesh arm used to be. _

_Ed felt the electrifying pain of the nerves connecting and shut his eyes, not daring to scream in front of Truth. He looked up, seeing his arm once again in Truth's hold. Truth lifted his hand in a waving motion before the Gate opened again. Ed stood motionless, as the little black arms grabbed onto him, pulling him into the Gate. Ed looked back to see the large eye open. Ed gaped in shock at the piercing sapphire blue that the eye was. It was no longer gray, like how Ed remembered. Ed looked back to Truth outraged._

"_Did you take Evan's Eyes of the Soul! Tell me!" Ed shouted. _

_Ed's eyes widened in shock at another Gate forming next to Truth. No. it wasn't like a Gate. It was more like a door. A two sided door. One that had a weird décor. It had Eight symbols on it. An icy blue dragon in the center, with two graceful, outstretched wings. There was also a ball of swirling air, a red flame, an orb of water, a tree with spiraling branches, a lightning bolt, a dark mass with devil wings, and two angel wings. It cracked open, with a bright white light. Something opened it, and to Ed's surprise and shock, it was a woman. The woman was of average height and had reddish brown wavy locks that went to her shoulders. She wore simple clothing which consisted of a blue dress with a white sash around the waist. She kept her eyes closed throughout all of this, and gracefully stepped out from the small gate. _

_She turned to Truth with closed eyes. "Is this him?" she asked with a gentle, kind tone._

_Truth nodded as it turned back to Ed who was slowly leading towards the closing doors of the Gate. "Yes. This is him. Edward Elric." Truth said._

_The woman smiled. "So this is the popular Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric I've heard so much about." she said and stepped forward, towards Edward. She reached him, unalarmed by the tiny black hands that wrapped around his body. She put a hand on his cheek, gently, like she was afraid Ed was going to run away. She smiled warmly as she opened her eyes, revealing azure orbs that seemed to stare into him, like there couldn't be anything you could possible hide from her. Ed stood motionless, as she drifted her hand over his cheek. "Such a nice boy, you are." she said and smiled again, putting Ed frozen. "Please take care of her for me. I'm leaving her in your hands. If she trust you, then, I will too." the woman said and drifted her hand down from Ed's cheek._

_Ed stared at the woman, mesmerized. He stood shocked as the little black hands pulled him in. the doors started to close and the last thing Ed saw was the woman's kind smile._

_FLASHBACK END…_

Ed sat in his seat, puzzled. Who was that woman? And why was she with Truth? More importantly, who was that 'her' she was talking about? Ed let his gaze travel to the brunette sleeping before him. Ed shook his head. _No. She couldn't possible mean Evans…but if not…then who? _Ed thought. Erika shifted slightly in her sleep making Ed dart his eyes back to her. Erika smiled slight in her sleep before she stopped moving, finding a comfortable position. Ed let his eyes go back to the window, a plain of white going by at blinding speed. Ed sat up straight upon hearing shuffling behind him. Ed quickly pulled his hood over his head and covered Erika's face as well with her hood.

A stocky man came by soon after and tapped Ed on the shoulder. Ed turned to him, not letting his eyes be shown. Erika didn't have to cover up as much because her eyes were closed so no one would see her sapphire eyes, but Ed had to shield his golden ones before someone recognizes him.

"Hm?" Ed asked.

"We're at Central City. Is this your stop?" the man asked.

Ed was about to reply but then glanced in Erika's way, seeing her sleep peacefully. Ed smiled and then shook his head. "No. It's not our stop. Ours is a little bit farther east."

"Is that so?" the man asked. "Then where to?"

"A small town. Pretty distinctive though. I'll call for you when we get there."

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><p><strong>BN: ^-^ Cliffhanger! Well, one of the nicer ones rather than the ones that'll make you angry. Any questions? hm? Well, I put a poll on my profile. Might wanna check it out. It's not too vital, but it helps when I hear your input. Okay! I'm done!<strong>

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	4. Welcome Home

"Hey Evans. Wake up." Edward said, shaking the young girl awake.

Erika shifted slightly as she tried to wake herself up. Sleep and dreams slowly drifted away from her as she opened her eyes slowly. Her sapphire eyes peeked out from her eyelids as she sat up straight and rubbed one of her eyes tiredly. She yawned as she stretched, still partially asleep. After hearing a satisfying pop, she opened her eyes completely and looked up at Ed who was smiling like an idiot. Erika chuckled slightly as she stood up, stretching her legs in the process.

"We at Central already?" Erika asked. Ed nodded.

"Yeah, let's go surprise the bastard Colonel," Ed added mischievously. Erika smiled at his childishness.

"Sure, whatever you say." Erika said and was about to walk off the train.

"Wait!" Ed called as he ran up and untied her hair from the white ribbon. Her hair fell from its ponytail and drifted over her shoulders and down her back.

"Hey!" Erika yelled as she tried to snatch the ribbon back. Ed moved quickly and tied the ribbon over her eyes. "What the hell are you doing Elric!" Erika yelled as Ed grabbed her wrist and started to lead her somewhere.

"Oh, just shut up! Don't you want to see Central HQ right when you open your eyes?" Ed asked.

"You mean after you untie my bandages from my eyes!" Erika yelled.

"Quit yelling! You're going to blow your cover!" Ed yelled back.

Erika growled as she lowered her voice. "Then you might wanna tell me why the hell you blinded me?" Erika asked annoyed.

"I did it because if someone were to see your eyes, they'll know who you are." Ed replied.

Erika sighed. "Fine. I give you that much." Erika complied. "But don't you think that it would've been much easier to just put on my hood-"

"We're here!" Ed announced.

Erika sighed again with a slight smile. She tore the ribbon from her eyes as she tried to glare at Ed. "So why the hell did you-" Erika stopped herself short as she looked to what was in front of her. There was an average sized house with a garden in the front. Over to the side was a cherry blossom tree that strangely had bloomed in the winter. A yellow rose bush lied to the left next to a patch of lilacs. A wind chime sounded with the soft breeze that caressed Erika's hair. She looked up and, sure enough, on the third step to the door was a small hole. Erika walked forward without a sound, tears forming in her eyes. There were small footsteps behind her and Erika turned around.

A girl with blue-black locks and amber eyes stared back at her. She had on a blue skirt that swished in the wind at her knees and boots covered her feet. A nice, warm, white jacket surrounded her torso and the girl's amber eyes never left Erika's sapphire ones. The girl dropped her grocery bags as she stared back at Erika.

"I-Is that you Sister? Is that really you?" the girl asked softly.

Erika smiled as tears formed in her eyes. Erika nodded as she wiped her eyes. "Yeah, it's me." Erika said as she looked at the girl. "I'm home, Ames. I'm home."

Amy started to tear up as tears fell down her cheeks. She ran towards Erika all the while crying. She reached Erika and hugged her, tighter than ever. Like she was afraid that she would just disappear all over again. Amy couldn't stop crying as she hugged Erika tighter, making it a little hard for her to breath. Erika laughed lightly as she wrapped her arms over her little sister gently, smiling; even though tears streamed down her cheeks. Amy choked back sobs as she lifted her head and looked at her older sister.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that you're home," Amy said as she smiled in Erika's hair.

More tears streamed down Erika's face as she untangled her arms from Amy's. She wiped her tears from her eyes as she looked over at Edward who was smiling warmly. He sent a half wave as he put the other hand in his pocket.

"Happy Birthday Evans," he said smiling like an idiot.

Erika laughed as she choked back another sob. She smiled as she ran up to Ed. Ed gasped as she hit him, almost knocking him to the ground. Erika nuzzled her face in his chest as she hugged Ed tightly.

"Thank you Ed. This is the best birthday gift ever," Erika said.

Ed's cheeks passed on a tint of pink at Erika's embrace but then sighed giving in. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around Erika, and then smiled.

"You're welcome." he replied.

Amy grinned at the sight as she rolled her eyes. She skipped over to the lit house and then called over her shoulder. "Come on ya love birds! Time to call some people over~!" Amy called.

Ed and Erika's cheeks were blown over by a crimson shade as they jumped apart from each other. "A-Ames! I-It's not like that!" Erika shouted as she ran after her little sister.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Erika sighed as she glared at the blond in front of her who crossed his arms stubbornly. "Call her."

"Why should I? She's just going to yell at me anyways…" Ed grumbled.

Erika grew an anger mark as she shoved the phone in Edward's face. "Just call her or I'll be the one to yell at you!"

"Jeez! I just reunited you with your sister for your birthday and all you do is yell at me!" Ed yelled.

Erika glared at the blond once more as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes, and I greatly appreciate that. But it's Christmas Eve, the least you can do is call Winry." Erika retorted in a warm tone.

Ed growled over the fact that she had won the argument. He thought it over in his head, the possible outcomes of the call. He _could_ get a wrench thrown at him. He _could_ have tears of joy coming from his friends. He _could_ have a broken ear drum after the yelling he would be rendered. But he could also do this one thing to tell his friends he was alright. _It's only a phone call… _Ed reminded himself. He sighed, giving in to Erika's hopeful eyes. He picked up the phone and punched in the number. It rang a few times before a voice answered.

"_Yes, hello. This is the Rockbell Residence." _

Ed sighed in frustration. It had to be Winry who answered. "Yeah…um…it's…uh…" Ed stuttered awkwardly.

"_Hello? Who is this?" _

_Screw it… _Ed thought. "Winry? It's me; Ed."

He heard a gasp on the other side of the phone and then was met with a long silence. Ed rose an eyebrow at the silence as he looked at the phone, seeing if it hung up on him. He heard shuffling on the other side of the phone and then was met with a small 'Thank goodness.'

"_Edward? Is…Is that really you?" _

Ed nodded. "Yeah."

Another small gasp was heard as the silence returned. _"Edward…?"_

"Hm?" Ed asked.

"_Edward…you…IDIOT!" _

Ed yelled out at the sudden pain that his ear had endured. He yelled back by instinct. "You don't have to scream!"

"_YEAH I DO BECAUSE YOU WERE SUCH AN IDIOT TO DO SOMETHING SO DANGEROUS WITHOUT TELLING ME!" _

Ed flinched at the sudden realization. He forgot to tell Winry this whole time that he had gone to the other side of the Gate. He only really said that he was looking for Erika, not that he was traveling to the other side. Ed scratched his head, trying to find the right words to say.

XoXo… Winry…XoXo

"_Uh…sorry about that…I forgot to tell you didn't I?"_

Winry gasped at the response. He had actually apologized to her. All throughout her life, never once had he apologized to her. Winry smiled. Maybe he was finally realizing his mistakes and manning up to them. Winry calmed down as she smiled again.

"It's alright." Winry said.

"_Really?"_

"Yeah. I understand that you were probably being impulsive again and just wanted to get Erika back. So, I understand." Winry confided. Then Winry gasped at the realization. "Is Erika there with you?"

"_Y-Yeah…"_

"Can I talk to her? I should be able to since she WAS missing for five months!" Winry said.

"_O-Okay. Here she is."_

Winry waited impatiently as she heard shuffling and arguing on the other side of the phone. She sighed, losing patience. She needed to hear her. She was just that much important as Ed coming back. She was the reason that eh had done this anyway.

"_Hello?"_

"Erika?" Winry asked steadily. "Is that you?"

"_Mm-Hm. This is me. Is something wrong?"_

Winry was at a loss of words. Was this really Erika she was talking to? It didn't sound like her. Well, she DID sound like her…It's just…different somehow. She was like a different person. She changed a little.

"_Winry?" _

Winry was brought back into reality at the sound of Erika's voice. She shook here head and then responded. "I'm so glad you two are okay. Where are you two at?"

"_Ashwell. It isn't that far from Risembool. I'd say about a two hour distance."_

"We're coming over there. Me and Alphonse," Winry declared. "Don't you dare leave Ashwell you hear me! I don't feel like chasing you two all around Amestris!" Winry yelled. She could hear Erika giggling softly on the other side of the phone.

"_Don't worry. I'm not moving out of my hometown. The worry should be on Elric. Who knows where he'll be traveling off to next."_

Winry laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Do you want to talk to Alphonse for a little while?" she asked impatiently and glancing at the clock.

"_Don't take this as me being rude and all, but I think I'll feel much better if we could see you two in person. Besides, I bet you want to see Elric more than anything right now."_

Winry's cheeks flushed pink at Erika's comment but then disregarded it. "O-Okay…we'll be there as fast as we can!" Winry said and then she smiled. "And Happy Birthday Erika!"

XoXo… Erika…XoXo

Erika chuckled as she hung up the phone. "So impatient that I couldn't even say 'thank you'." Erika said softly.

"Hm?" Ed asked.

"Nothing." Erika said and then stood up. "Hey Ames?"

"Huh?" Amy asked popping out form the kitchen.

"I think I'm going to go visit Mom and Dad. I'll be gone for a bit." Erika said.

Amy pouted. "Aww….But you just got here…" Amy whined and then sighed. "But I guess Mom and Dad do need to know that you came back. Come home soon okay?"

"Okay, Ames." Erika said and then put on her coat. Ed stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ed asked.

"To visit Mom and Dad…" Erika said smiling mournfully. "It's been a while since I'd seen them."

Ed looked down at the realization. He nodded grimly while smiling mournfully as well. "I understand."

Erika smiled at him and then patted his shoulder. "I'm fine. Really!" Erika said, smiling. "Don't be so down about it!"

Ed sighed as he looked at her. He knew that smile. A fake, cheerful smile that he had put on for Alphonse when their mother had died. He understood how much this means to Erika and watched her as she closed the door.

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><p><strong>BN: End of chapter! I wonder if any of you had forgotten that Christams Eve was Erika's birthday. *looks at you sternly* Be honest. It's alright if you did forget. <strong>

**Well, once again I ask you to view the poll on my profile. It's not that important, but helpful to hear from you readers.**

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	5. Two Yellow Roses On Each of Their Graves

**Top Note: This is written in a different format that I usually do, so i jsut wanted to try it out and see how it worked. I think it came out pretty well. Eh, enough of my rambling. Please Read!**

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><p>As soon as Erika had closed the door, she frowned and looked at her feet. If only she could have saved her mother from that horrible crisis. If only she hadn't run away when she was told to. If only wasn't such a coward. She hid behind so many people and stayed in the shadows. She didn't do anything to help that situation. She just ran, overcome by fear. Erika looked forward, and started towards the cemetery. No matter how she felt, she had to go and visit her parents. She grabbed a handful of yellow roses and ignored the thorns that poked through her gloves. The pain was numbed, and all she was thinking of was seeing her parents.<p>

She walked through the snowy streets of Ashwell, they were empty anyways. It was always empty on Christmas Eve. Everyone had coped up inside with their families and prepared hot cocoa and shared stories with each other. Happy ones. Erika bit back her tears as she looked forward and up the hill to the cemetery. Unlike others' birthdays, unlike the holiday, this was a day of mourning for Erika. Each birthday that came by, each gift she received, she'd have to remember what happened. Erika clenched the roses in her fists, covering her eyes. The thorns stabbed her hand and drew a bit of blood. She soon reached the cemetery and knew which head stone to look for. She soon spotted it, and walked forward.

She stopped in front of the two head stones. Each of them had the same name. Alice Evans and Michael Evans. Side by side forever. Erika looked down to the head stones to see purple lilacs on each of the graves. Erika fell to her knees and stared down at her hands. She rested a single yellow rose on each of the graves in the center of the lilacs, both thorn free. Erika stared at the two graves before her, and her sapphire eyes filled with remorse and sadness. Erika tried a smile, but found it harder than ever when before their graves. She dropped her act from cheerfulness and decided to confront them as her. She could never get away with lying when it came to her parents. They knew her and Amy like the back of their hands.

"Hey, Mom, Dad," Erika said softly. "I came back. Sorry for taking so long. I didn't mean to be stuck on that side of the Gate for such a long time. I lost my memories, and wasn't even aware that I was from here. Can you believe it? Me not knowing that I came from Ashwell? Where I was born, grew up, became who I am…all of that was forgotten.

"I didn't intentionally forget it all. I just did when I gave myself up as Equivalent Exchange," Erika said and then laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I know Dad. It was an idiotic move. But if I hadn't, Alphonse wouldn't have gotten his body back.

"Oh! I haven't told you about Edward and Alphonse yet have I? Well, that's a long story," Erika said and then sighed. "Yes, yes. I know Mom. 'How could I be so forgetful.' The deal with Edward and Alphonse…well…like I said, it's a long story.

Erika rolled her eyes. "Great. I can practically hear you Dad. 'I've got time. Who are these two boys that my daughter had befriended?' Well, it was three years ago. It was back when I was fourteen and the thug incident had been up.

"Edward's a State Alchemist. His younger brother is Alphonse Elric who, at the time, was a soul attachment to a suit of armor. I bet Edward would get upset if I tell you why Alphonse was a soul attachment, so I can't tell you. Not yet at least." Erika said and then smiled. "I'll just tell you the well known story.

"Edward's the Fullmetal Alchemist. He joined the military when he was twelve years old to regain what he and his brother had lost," Erika said. "And as I said before, I can't tell you the details about why he joined the military. But, he was researching the Philosopher's Stone." Erika said and then sighed. "I know Mom. It's the devil's work. He knew that too. He knew fairly well what he was getting himself into.

"Anyways, Dad you might remember him, Colonel Roy Mustang: the Flame Alchemist, is his boss. He assigned Edward this mission to gain research on another way to regain their bodies back," Erika said and found herself smiling softly. "So he was sent here, to Ashwell. At first, me and him…weren't on good terms, I guess you can say. We bickered, shouted at each other, annoyed each other, I karate chopped him a lot…" Erika stopped herself and began to blush in embarrassment at her words. She flailed her arms about with a growing blush on her face.

"W-Well, bottom line is we didn't get along with each other okay!" Erika said and then sighed. "Anyways, he didn't have a place to stay so I let him stay at our house for a night. After that, he couldn't afford the hotel here so I told him to get a job. He objected at first, seeing as though he already had a job, but I eventually talked him into it because ole man Don offers a place to sleep for his workers.

"One day, I devised the perfect plan. It was to get the thugs to take me to their leader so I can finally due away with them. Edward, such an idiot at the time, came after me thinking that I was actually being kidnapped. He ruined my plan when he ended up getting himself in trouble so I did the only thing I could resort to," Erika said and laughed. "I used my Eyes of the Soul to protect him.

"Another idiotic move, yes I know Dad. Anyways, I got out with a sprained arm as my mild Equivalent Exchange. After I was all healed, me, him, and Alphonse banded up together to take down the leader. It was the Chief of Police can you believe it?" Erika said and then smiled. " 'Where was Ames throughout all of this?' Eh, she was helping out at the bakery, bandaging us up after we got beat down every now and then. Then, you'll not believe this, Mustang _offered _me a job as a State Alchemist. Me? A State Alchemist? I couldn't believe it at first either, Dad.

"Then Ed and Al left to go back to Central, or wherever the hell they went off to all the time. They were travelers at the time; still are too." Erika said and then smiled. "And I couldn't believe it. I even missed the shrimp. He's still short to this day too. Even if he's taller than me; he'll always be that temperamental shorty I always know.

"Two years later, I had forgotten all about what had happened. All I remembered was a trouble making midget and the offer Mustang had given me." Erika said and then frowned. "Sikes was becoming stronger and stronger by the day and I had noticed. So I set off to find a cure for the Eyes of the Soul to protect Ames. No luck quite yet. Sorry Mom.

"So me and Ames came to Central so I can become a State Alchemist. I ended up bumping into Ed; literally. I'm not kidding, we were sent to the floor! I didn't recognize the shrimp and went into Mustang's office. I asked if he could open up the offer again, and sure enough, he did." Erika said and then chuckled. "I still didn't recognize Ed and he vice versa. Mustang got annoyed and introduced us again reminding us what the other had done for us.

"The first thing out of my mouth when I realized who they were was: 'You're that trouble making midget!' I'm not kidding! So I took the Exam, and got in, threatening the Fuehrer with my elemental sword of sharp ice and electrical forces…" Erika said nervously. "I was given the title Sapphire Spark; fitting huh? Then, before I knew it, I was paired up with Ed, unwillingly may I add.

"Me and him still didn't get along that well. We'd at least argue with each other two times a day. And that's putting it lightly. On the contrary, he was a good partner. He didn't let me die, that's for sure. A few times he even saved me." Erika said and found herself tearing up. "For a good year and a half we got along nicely. Ed and Al finally found a way to get their bodies back. Al means the world to Ed, and…he reminded me of myself. The way I felt for Ames, Casey, ole man Don, and you guys. I couldn't stand to watch him lose his only brother, his only family left, all over again.

"So, when the time came, I…I offered myself up as Equivalent Exchange to give Al his body back. So, Soul offered me the chance and I took it. Then Alphonse got his body back. And Ed got his arm back." Erika said and stared at the two head stones, tears forming in her eyes. "I was taken to the other side of the Gate and, as compensation, had lost my memories.

"Can you believe it Mom, Dad? On the other side of the Gate…I saw Derek. Derek was there. Me and Ames' older brother. Your first born. And to think this whole time…we had thought he was killed. He was taken to the other side of the Gate and lived there this whole time." Erika said and then tears dropped onto her torn gloves. "He's still there too…He said he couldn't come…and…that idiot…H-He…he had an Eye of the Soul, Mom….He had it this whole time and no one ever knew. Except you two of course.

"He gave up his Eye of the Soul and some of his eyesight…just so me and Ed could cross over." she said and then tried to wipe the tears off of her cheeks. More tears came in its place and streamed down her face, never ending. "Damn it…I can't stop crying…Sorry, Mom and Dad…I don't want to cry in front of you guys but…" Erika sniffled as she laughed emptily. "Sorry…S-So…we came back. And now we're here. And…I-It's Christmas Eve." Erika said and then smiled weakly. The same, fake cheerful smile she had on before, even though tears went down her conflicted cheeks. "I know I'm out of line to saying this, being your anniversary of your death and all, but…

"But…It's my birthday today… Isn't it? Remember when we said that we'd go and see the world? Rid this country of all hardships?" Erika asked as tears streamed down her face, faster than ever. She looked up at the two head stones, a smile on her face, tears going down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, and with a shaky voice she said

"M-Mom, Dad? Merry Christmas."

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><p><strong>BN: So, this is Erika's conversation to her parents at the cemetery. She was telling them all that happened in three years. T^T<strong>

**Until Next chap! **=:D


	6. Birthday Upbringings

**Top Note!: Long chapter for all of you! It was 8 pages in microspft and I usually make chapters about 5 or 6 pages. You guys are in luck today! Okay, onto the story!**

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><p>Ed sat in the living room, sipping on hot cocoa Amy had made. It was fairly silent except the occasional sounds of snow fall. It was peaceful, and Amy didn't want to break the peace. Ed looked from over his cup to the seat in front of him. It was empty, and held Erika's white ribbon. Ed shifted in his seat a little, finding it kind of uncomfortable, and too quiet without Erika around. He looked towards the window, in which it showed streets filling with snow. He looked farther into the distance, and you can barely see the hill in which led the cemetery. Ed sighed as he stood up and wiped the window free of fog. Even with it gone, he could barely see the cemetery.<p>

"Edward?"

"Wha-!" Ed started as he turned around quickly, slipping on the rub below him. He fell to the floor with a grunt and he started to rub his lower back from slight pain. "Ow…"

"Oh! Sorry, Ed." Amy apologized.

"Eh, it's alright." Ed said as he stood up from his spot on the floor. "What is it? You seem worried."

Amy's eyes widened as she darted her eyes back to the ground. "Oh…I'm not worried. It's just that…well, it's been over an hour and Sister hasn't retuned yet…"

Ed smiled as he walked up to the small girl and put his hand on her shoulder, the same way he did with Erika. But Amy didn't seem surprised. "You want me to go and get her?"

Amy nodded vigorously, more energetic than she had intended for it to be. "Please."

Ed laughed as he slipped his red coat back on. The alchemist sign on his back, clearly visible. He had changed it long before, back to its red. It just didn't fell right when it was black. He opened the door, and offered a small wave before shutting it behind him. He set off at the snow covered pavement, searching for that lone hill of a cemetery. He soon reached it, seeing a sea of head stones. Ed sighed as he started upwards, trying to find Erika.

It wasn't long before he spotted a lone tree in the distance. Below the tree, were two headstones and a girl kneeled before them. Ed smiled, seeing Erika's chestnut hair down and blowing in the wind. He walked up to her, before hearing a few words emanating from the brunette in front of him. It was faint, almost a whisper. But Ed can still hear her.

"Damn it…I can't stop crying…Sorry Mom and Dad…I don't want to cry in front of you guys but…" Erika sniffled as she laughed emptily. "Sorry…S-So…we came back. And now we're here. And…I-It's Christmas Eve. I know I'm out of line to saying this, it being the anniversary of your death and all…"

Ed was frozen to that comment. Anniversary of their death? They were killed on her birthday? Ed stared at her, and his eyes softened. Tears streamed down her cheeks and fell onto her gloved hands. She started to speak again, this time her words barely over a whisper.

"But…It's my birthday today…Isn't it? Remember when we said that we'd go and see the world? Rid this country of hardships?" Erika asked. This time, her voice was shaky with tears and sobs racked her body. "M-Mom, Dad? Merry Christmas."

Ed stared at her with his golden eyes burning with that same unreadable emotion. She reminded him of himself. On how he felt when his mother had died. But he had no idea that one of her parents was killed on her own birthday. That must have been horrible for her. He has no idea how she must have felt. And especially near Christmas. Now he knows why this holiday means so much to her. He stepped forward, quietly, not wanting to startle her. She stood up and Ed stopped. She turned around and her eyes widened when she saw Edward, but then her cheeks passed on a tint of pink. She rubbed her eyes and cheeks free of tears and then looked to the side, not ready to face Ed yet.

"I-I didn't know you were there…" Erika said quietly.

Ed dismissed that comment and took notice to her face. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her nose was red. Ed clenched one of his hands into fists as he walked forward, a tint of pink on his cheeks. He looked to the side as well, not meeting her eyes. Erika blinked in confusion to what he was doing. She cocked her head to the side as she stared at him.

"What's the matter?" Erika asked and then she bit her lip as she looked down. "You didn't hear any of that…did you?"

Ed nodded grimly. "Yeah."

Erika furrowed her eyebrows trying to suppress tears. "How much did you hear through?"

"Enough." Ed responded, leaving no room for any comments. "Are you…Are you okay?"

Erika's eyes widened in surprise at his question. She looked up at him. "Am I okay?"

"Yeah…you were crying. Are you okay?" Ed asked softly.

Erika smiled again, the same fake cheerful one. "Yeah…I'm fine."

"You sure?" Ed asked again, surprising Erika. "You know you don't have to put on an act." Erika stared at him with tears swelling up in her eyes. "So…Are you okay?"

Erika laughed softly, the same melodious laughter that could make anyone feel better. Ed found himself smiling, even when it was such a sad surrounding. She looked up at him, a single tear traveling her cheek.

"I'm fine now." Erika confided, smiling brightly. An actual, genuine smile. Ed's cheeks passed on a tint of pink as he turned around and started walking away, much to Erika's confusion. "W-Where are you going?" Erika called.

"Winry's going to kill us if we don't get there soon." Ed called. "Let alone Ames."

Erika cringed at the thought of her _younger _sister scolding her. Especially since Amy had probably been practicing her Art of the Elements while Erika had still remained alchemy-less without her armband. So she had no way to defend herself. Erika followed after Ed, sprinting.

"Let's go over there quick!" Erika called.

Both teens ran down the hill, Erika almost falling in the process. They both set out, trying to sprint in the growing snow beneath their feet. Ed decided to follow Erika, she was the one who lived here after all. So he followed after her, and they cut between two stores. A 'short-cut' as Erika called it. Ed didn't complain as they jumped a fence, and Ed saw the house in view. Erika was quite happy with her fence jumping. She thought her acrobatic skills had gone down the drain, with her times on the other side of the Gate and all. But if there's one thing that doesn't change, it was fence jumping. She had become the master at that. Fighting Wise? She'd have to wait and see.

"We're here!" both teens chimed.

"Ames! Quick! Open the do-"

_CLONK!**  
><strong>_

Erika was sent falling backwards, at the a wrench's expense. Ed cringed at the thought of a wrench getting thrown at him so he tried to turn back. But luck wasn't on his side that day…

_***CLONK!***_

Ed grunted in pain as he was sent crashing into the snow below him, face down. A wrench by the side of his head. Blood spurted from the spot he had been hit and a big bump was on Erika's head.

"You IDIOTS!"

Ed and Erika sat up and thought the same thing. "Oh crap…" They both looked off to the house and saw a fuming blond on it. Nothing but anger laced her face. Erika thought better and decided not to protest. But Ed wasn't that keen…

"Great! I buy you a wrench and you try to kill me with it!" Ed shouted.

"Well, maybe you two should have listened when I said stayed put! But no! You two have to go off and make me think that you've done something reckless again!" Winry yelled back.

Ed flinched, realizing he won't win this argument. Erika sighed, knowing what was going on here. They both don't realize that they haven't seen each other in two months. She stood up, coming to Ed's aid. She took in a deep breath, and, unwillingly, she began to sing.

"_We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas…" _Erika sang melodically, her voice coming out sweetly. _"We wish you a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!" _

"Why are you singing that?" Ed asked confused. Erika growled as she continued to sing.  
><em><br>"Maybe you should shut up and sing this with me, or get a wrench thrown at you again!" _Erika sang, matching the Christmas song's rhythm. Ed sweat dropped at the meaning and ran up to Erika, putting an arm around her shoulders singing along with her.

_"We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas. And a Happy New Year! _Merry Christmas Winry!" Ed and Erika sung in unison.

Erika glanced at Ed from the corner of her eye. "You know you're not that bad of a singer. You should try singing some more some time." Erika said.

Ed looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I'll start to sing when you do it more often. Deal?" Ed asked.

Winry grinned as she laughed. The door opened and someone walked out along with Amy. "So the Fullmetal and Sapphire Spark duo sing too?" a male voice asked.

Ed's eyes widened in shock as he ran over to the house. "Alphonse!" Ed shouted.

"Hey brother." Al said. "Bring back Erika?"

"Y-Yeah…she's right here." Ed said gesturing to Erika.

Erika's eyes went wide as she stared at Alphonse. Al walked forward, down the steps to greet his older brother. Conversation was held, but Erika paid no attention to that. She just stared at him. His hair was a dirty blond, a caramel color. His eyes were a deep dark brown and he looked healthy. Al walked forward with a smile on his face.

"Thank you Erika. Without you, I couldn't have gotten my body back. So, Thank you." Al said with an outstretched hand. Erika stared at the offered hand and then shook her head. She smacked Al's hand away and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him and holding back tears.

"A handshake? Really?" Erika asked. "I was gone for Five months…on the other side of the Gate…so I can give you a handshake? No. I don't think so."

Al chuckled as he hugged her back, smiling. "You were gone for five months for Brother's Sake. So thank you, again. This really did mean a lot to him." Al whispered.

Erika's cheeks were blown over by pink as she untangled herself from the hug and looked at him sheepishly. "H-How'd you know?" Erika asked.

Al's eyes widened as he started to grin. "You mean you really did this for Brother? I was just kidding, but…that's great!"

Erika started to blush red with embarrassment. "Y-You didn't A-Alphonse-! A-Amy taught you how to do that d-didn't she!" Erika said flustered.

Al grinned. "Maybe…maybe not."

XOXOXOXOXO

"AMY KATHLEEN EVANS! WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE DATING ALPHONSE!"

"Sorry Sister!" Amy said. "When you came back, all I was feeling was relief that you're home. I forgot to tell you this."

Erika fumed at Amy's reply._ She forgot? How can she forget something so awesome! _Erika sighed, seeing as though Alphonse still had his arm around Amy's shoulders, just as scared as his girlfriend. Erika chuckled as she mentally danced in her head. She leaned back in her seat as she grinned happily.

"Oh Ames~! Man, am I glad to be in Amestris…" Erika said dreamily. "I come home to see my sister on her way to becoming a wife~! And to think, I thought you didn't put the moves on him yet."

"U-Um…A-Actually…I-It wasn't me…" Amy stuttered, blushing.

"Pardon?" Erika asked, sitting up.

"I-I wasn't the one…who…put the m-moves…f-first…" Amy stuttered flustered. Erika's face lit up as she darted her eyes back to Alphonse, whose face was beet red.

XOXOXOXOXO

Winry laughed softly when hearing the yelling coming from the other room. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she missed Erika almost as much as she did Edward. She glanced in Ed's direction to find him engrossed into what he was reading. Winry giggled. Okay, maybe she didn't miss Erika _as much _as she did Ed. But she still missed her nonetheless. Winry decided one day, she was in love with Ed. She couldn't help it. Love was uncontrollable. Winry sighed happily as she started to mix the batter to the cake she was making for Erika's birthday. If it weren't for Amy's sacrifice, Erika probably would have detected the baking and had done it by herself.

Winry found her mind wondering from place to place, random things she probably wouldn't have intentionally thought of. One particular thought made her sadden. She loved Edward…but did Erika have feelings for him too? And if so…will their friendship be torn apart? Winry couldn't help but find herself thinking of this. If you were a girl in love, and your best friend might love the same person, these thoughts were unavoidable. Winry decided to brush the thoughts off. _Erika's as dense as a rock and so is Edward, so if they do like each other, they won't be able to tell. _Winry thought, making herself laugh quietly. She poured the batter into the pan and started to bake it.

"In an hour the entire cake will be done." Winry said, marveling at her work. She turned to Ed, and found something off about his stance. He was leaning towards his right. Wait. He didn't do that anymore. He normally was lenient on his left, the automail being a perfect set to his weight. When Winry's eyes scanned over Ed for a while, she realized it.

His right arm is automail again.

Immediately questions bottled up in her mind. Who had adjusted his arm? Who had made the arm for him? How did he lose his arm again? She knew that Equivalent Exchange can be a bit of a nightmare but she didn't expect he'd lose an arm again. Fortunately for her, Ed had taken off his gloves and now had his metal arm showed. Winry recognized it instantly. It was her own design, the one she had made for him when he came home missing an arm and a leg.

Winry cringed at the thought of all his blood on that night. The way his clothes stuck to his body from the rain. The way his breathing was being stopped short. The gushing blood that emerged from his leg and arm. The terror in his eyes. She remembered that day vividly, not ever losing any detail. Much to her horror. She brushed all of her thinking to the side as she approached Ed and grabbed a hold on Ed's wrist, causing him to drop the book. Ed looked at her with annoyed golden orbs.

"What?" Ed asked irritated.

"Your arm," Winry stated lifting up his hand and pulling down his sleeve, showing a broad plain of steel. "Why didn't you tell me that you lost it?"

Ed drew back his hand and rested it under the table, concealing it from her eyes. Ed looked to the side, never meeting her eyes. "I didn't tell you because you'd find out anyway." Ed replied, never looking at her.

Winry sighed as she rested her chin on the palm of one of her hands. "So you took the easy way out, eh?" she asked, annoyed with him as he was with her. "It was the Equivalent Exchange wasn't it?"

Winry couldn't help the small tang of sadness and horror seeped into her conversation with Edward. The thought of him losing an arm again terrified her. Ed sensed the pain in her voice and decided to end the conversation quickly. He keeps remembering how upset Erika had gotten, how her eyes were filled with pain and despair. How she blamed herself for letting that happen. Ed looked down, trying to avoid the pained conversation.

"My arm was the only thing I lost, no more damage." He reassured her. "There's nothing to worry about. Evans regained her memory, and we're both back to Amestris."

Winry nodded, agreeing to the unsaid words: 'The point is, you can't cry about it now. What's done is done.' A thought crossed her mind, and she voiced it unintentionally. "What about the military?" she asked, unable to stop the words from coming out of her mouth.

Ed was taken by surprise. The military. He hadn't thought about. But now that he is, the reality is harsher than it seems. He would got to Celtic, and with the one request he hadn't used yet, will get his limbs back. He'd have no reason to be in the military anymore, with his body regained and such. The only real reason he had stayed in the military when Al got his body back, was only so he could keep Erika's name in the files and find her somehow. But now he did find her, and brought her back. He had no need to stay as a State Alchemist and could retire. Erika would still have to go on. To find someway to get rid of her Eyes of the Soul, so that no one could try and obtain it for power.

That's right. With Sikes gone, would she really have a need for a cure? Ed contemplated the thought and then, much to his dismay, found it valid. When he had first met her, when the fact that she was an Eyes of the Soul was not given to him, she was being chased by the thugs of the area. The Chief of the Police had been desiring the power of Soul. So there were some corrupt souls who would go after her, and maybe sue Amy as a ransom. Erika could live with the fact that people wanted her power, granted. But if Amy was ever in trouble, that was another reason why Eriak had joined the military. To protect Amy from those who want Soul. So there it was. They'd actually got their separate ways.

For good this time.

Ed's chest tightened at the thought. He'd miss her greatly. In fact, it felt horrible knowing she might be gone forever. Sure, he'd probably see her in the news or something, but she would be unreachable. Away from his grasp. Tomorrow they were going to Central HQ, to file in they're found and not missing. Tomorrow! That was it! Tomorrow they were to see Mustang, and Erika would become a certified State Alchemist again. That was his chance. His chance to tell her never to forget-

What is he thinking? So what if she was going to leave. He'd have his little brother back. Wasn't that enough? Why did he feel like a gap was being set. Between him and…something he couldn't quite comprehend. He brushed all the thoughts behind him, Winry needed an answer.

"Tomorrow me and Evans are going to HQ to clear our missing persons reports." Ed concluded. "I don't know when we'll be back. But I'll meet you in Risembool when it's finished."

Winry nodded slowly. That wasn't the answer she was looking for, but it's all she'd get. Ed wasn't about to answer anything else at the moment. Winry's eyes filled with sadness. She had saw the pained expression on Ed's face. She knew who he was thinking about. It was only natural, to think of your partner that's been with him for a good two years now. She knew what was going on. Ed had feelings for Erika. And Winry couldn't change that. Even if he hadn't realized that Winry loved him as well.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Erika…Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang, scattered around Erika.

Erika's eyes sparkled when she saw the cake. She blew out the candles and everyone cheered. Winry was in the middle of passing out cake slices when something caused everyone to quiet down. All eyes were on Erika.

_*Drip. *Drip._

"I-I'm sorry…" Erika apologized bringing a hand to her face in an attempt to stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She quivered with sobs and all she could do was keep wiping tears off her face, continuously until they stopped, which they showed nothing short of. Tears dropped onto the table causing small dropping sounds when they hit the surface of the wooden table. Erika apologized again, forcing a smile on her face.

"Sorry…" Erika apologized again. "I-I don't' know why I'm crying…But. Thank you nonetheless…" Erika said, looking down and letting the tears come out.

Amy sighed, seeing the confusion etched into her sister's face. "They're called tears of happiness sister. They appear when you're happy."

"Then I must be damn enraptured because I can't stop crying…" Erika said, nothing more of a smile on her face.

Ed smiled, but his eyes were glazed over in despair. This might be the last time he'd see Erika again, after tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>BN: End of chapter! Love traingels are pretty intense adn difficult to write...I kinda like it. *smiles evilly. Wonder what I could do now...hehehe. <strong>

**Next chapter, onwards to Central!**

**Until next chap! Oh! And don't forget to view the poll! UNTIL NEXT CHAP! **=:D


	7. Back to Central

**Hello all! Sorry for the late update. I sort of had writer's block for the longest time. Well, I'm back! hope this long chapter makes up for the wait!**

* * *

><p>*Knock *Knock<p>

All four heads darted towards the door, in which had opened. Erika scanned the area. Something didn't feel right. Footsteps plagued the household and Erika, Ed, Amy, and Al couldn't help but get battle ready. More footsteps came again, closer. Erika looked all over for the source of the noise. She didn't find any answers. Then the answer came to her like a karate chop to the head.

Literally.

"WISDOM CHOP!" a voice shouted, sending a breathtaking, and flawless, karate chop to Erika's head.

Erika fell to her knees, clutching her head in the process. She groaned in pain, and it was actually more of a growl. Erika stood up, still holding onto the spot where the person chopped, looked up, a scowl on her face.

"What the hell was that for!" Erika shouted.

The person swung their hand down again, causing more pain to inflict Erika's cranium. "WISDOM CHOP!" they shouted again. "LESSON NUMBER ONE: DON'T DO ANYTHING INCREDIBLY STUPID!"

Erika growled as she sprung up and started to yell at the person. "Wisdom Chop Lesson Number Two! Don't inflict Wisdom Chops unless called for!" she retorted, glaring at the woman who stood with her nose held high.

"Hmph! Trying to use my Wisdom Chops against me? An Impossible task!" the woman raged, glaring her crystal eyes almost into slits. "That was completely called for!"

"How so!" Erika yelled back, regaining her composure from the two days of sadness that triggered her over due tears. "I don't see any perspective from this Chop, Sensei!"

"Sensei?" Ed asked. It took a moment to realize Erika had meant teacher; so that's what she called her. Then it processed in his brain what was happening. Slowly, a figure emerged from the hiding space where she lay coped in. A woman of a higher stature stood before them, her now short black hair free and hanging loose. Her eyes still the sparkling crystal blue they always are. She had her arms crossed over her chest and a disapproving look on her face. Ed's eyes widened at the identity of the woman. "Casey?"

"Why hello Elric brothers!" Casey chimed, in a familiar tone that made Ed and Al have a shiver go down their spines. She was still in Teacher mode; not having that sweet café owner they first met. While in this state, it reminded them so much of Izumi it scared them. "I haven't seen you two in quite a while. How's everything?"

"We've been great T-Casey." Al stammered, finding himself almost calling her Teacher. The resemblance was uncanny from Izumi and Casey. It was only natural for him to stumble over his words.

Erika growled as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Casey. "Look. What I did had a meaning. It was of no means 'stupid.' " Erika said, glaring at Casey, fire burning within her sapphire orbs. Ed sighed with relief. Her eyes hadn't had that fire in them like before. It kind of shocked him when they weren't there.

"How was this not stupid? Justify yourself." Casey conceded, staring down at Erika.

Erika's cheeks flushed with pink. Should she tell her what she did? No, no. She'll kill her if she found out. She could just say that it was an accident. No, no. That can't work. Casey could catch her lying no matter how well Erika covers it up. So what? Take her chances and say it? Play it safe and don't tell her? Erika didn't know what to do and before she could stop herself, the words flew out of her mouth.

"It was an alchemic accident," Erika blurted out, surprising herself even.

Ed and Al both darted their eyes and stared at her. Did she just lie? Of course she did; it made sense. She couldn't have possibly faked her crying when Ed and her had returned. She couldn't have faked that genuine embarrassment front when Al had tricked her into saying the truth (By accident of course, but Alphonse had still got it out of her). Edward and Alphonse stared at Erika, finding her cheeks with a tint of pink on them. Yes. She was lying, no doubt. She couldn't stop herself from blurting it out in front of Casey. Casey stared at her, looking her up and down. Erika fidgeted with the sleeves of her pea coat from the other side of the Gate.

"What?" Erika asked, trying to sound truthful. Now that she had started it, it was natural to go with the lie. Intentional or not.

Casey stared her down longer, before an idea dawned on her. She nodded and then resumed her cheerful, café owner self. "Dismissed!" she chanted, smiling.

Amy's eyes widened as she stood by Winry. She knew what was coming up next and there was no need to warn her sister about it. Erika has it coming to her anyway. The thing Amy was concerned about was Winry. How was she going to react?

Casey's smile dropped as she looked at Erika, a hopeful glint in her face. She sighed and then sat down at the wooden table. "Now that I'm no longer your Sensei, you can tell me. What's the real reason? And don't lie," Casey added.

Erika nodded, figuring she must have noticed her fib. It was only natural, her and Amy training under her for the majority of their lives. Erika sighed as she padded her way over to Alphonse and then stood next to him. Al looked at her, in acceptance of what she was doing. Erika gestured towards Alphonse and said as confident as she could.

"Does this justify?" Erika asked, breathless.

Casey's eyes widened as she sat in her chair, trying to compose herself. Winry furrowed her brows in confusion. What did that mean? Man, does she hate the unspoken communication Erika and the others shared. Winry could never completely understand it as quickly as everyone else did. She tried to put the pieces together, finding it difficult. Erika's words flooded in her mind. All she said was 'Does this justify?' Winry sighed silently at it. She tried to put it together the best she could. She glanced at Amy from the corner of her eye and found Amy's expression grim. She wondered why. Then it hit her.

Amy was standing by her side, closer than needed. Edward and Alphonse's shock when Erika had said it was an alchemical accident. Alphonse thanking Erika for whatever reason; Winry couldn't really hear their conversation. Ed's sad eyes when they had returned to Erika's home after they had seen Alphonse again. Erika standing next to Al, gesturing to him and asking if it justifies. Casey's reaction.

Winry gasped as her eyes went wide. She put a hand over her chest and leaned on the table in front of her. Amy nodded in recognition of Winry's anxiety. Amy gingerly put a hand on Winry's shoulder, startling her a bit. After Winry had seen Amy's amber eyes, Winry relaxed just a bit. Winry stared at Erika in shock. Then she looked over at Casey. Now she understood Erika's reluctance when telling Casey. Before she could stop herself it came out in only above a whisper.

"You didn't Erika…." Casey whispered.

"As an Equivalent Exchange." was all Winry could say.

Erika sighed, and then nodded. She tried once more. "Does this justify?" her voice was a bit shaky but was covered by the tension in the room. Casey only stood up shakily and walked over to Erika and brought her hand up. Erika braced herself for the pain of the Wisdom Chop to come down onto her, but it never did. Erika gasped quietly as she looked up at Casey.

Casey's hand gently caressed the top of her head. It was an uncommon occurrence. Very rare. Erika and Amy had only experienced it once, when their father had died. Casey gently petted Erika head, as her mother had done often. Casey smiled. "This justifies plenty. No need for anymore explanation."

"It was still an idiotic move."

Casey had stopped patted Erika's head right before the comment. Erika growled as she stared at the person who said it. "Do I need to remind what that 'idiotic move' did?" Erika asked.

"No; and there's no changing the fact that it was still an idiotic move." Ed spat, returning the glare Erika was sending.

Erika started to bubble over in anger. "Why you-!" Erika said, bringing up her fist.

"You what?" Ed asked. Ed was basically asking for it now. And Erika was completely capable of giving it to him.

Erika smirked. "You mousy little pipsqueak!"

That threw Ed off the limiter. "WHO YOU CALLING A MOUSY, BEANSPROUT PIPSQUEAK?"

Erika clapped sarcastically. "I am so proud of you. You only added _one _word that I DIDN'T say~! You're maturing bean sprout!"

"WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT GIRLY?" Ed shouted. Erika fumed.

"What'd you say, ya microscopic ant!" Erika yelled back.

"Girly! Take that klutz!" Ed yelled back.

"Termite!"

"Airhead!"

"Short stuff!"

"Breeze witch!"

"SHRIMP!"

"HOT HEAD!"

XoXo…the Next Morning …XoXo

Erika woke up to the sunlight that streamed in through her curtains. Erika smiled. She DIDN'T wake up to an annoying alarm clock. She sighed happily as she burrowed her face into one of her pillows. She was about to drift off back to sleep when it hit her.

It was the next morning.

Erika flung the covers off her body as she ran to her State Alchemist's pocket watch that had been hanging on her wall. It had clearly been ignored, to the surface of dust on it. Erika reached up to grab it and found the cover severely cold. Erika disregarded the fact and opened it up roughly, causing the dust to be whacked off. It opened as promised and revealed the time. It was only 8:00.

Erika sighed with relief. She thought she'd be late if it weren't for the sunlight that shines brightly. Erika eased her muscles, and began to relax. She'd have to get to Central at noon. And it took about four hours to get there. 1:00 was when she wanted to get there. Nothing later.

Erika was about to stroll into her closet when she caught something in the corner of her eye. Erika walked up to it and found a pile of clothes on her bed. She pondered on who must have done it when a yellow note got her attention. Erika lifted it up and read the small note.

_Use these clothes for your trip. I think you'll recognize some of it. -Casey_

Erika nodded in acknowledgement. She abandoned her other Gate's clothes and started to change into the clothes Casey left her. And as much as she missed her friends on the other side of the Gate, she was relieved to be back in her old clothes. After pulling on her shirt she examined herself in the mirror.

She had on simple jeans that was form fitting and it moved naturally with each step she took. A black padded belt had been strapped over her hips and over her jeans. She had on a purple off the shoulder shirt, in which the sleeves had been shortened than normal. Over her feet, she had some black boots that laced up all the way. As a jacket, she had on a black sort of trench coat that reached to her mid thigh. It could button up, but Erika decided to leave it open. Erika smiled when she felt the fabric of the sleeves. This had been her mother's.

Erika picked up her duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder. She packed everything she needed last night and only one thing was missing. Erika reached into one of her pockets and then brought out the silver armband. She smiled as she felt the carved transmutation circle in the center of the silver band. She slipped it up her left arm and then walked out.

When she walked out, she was met with Ed just opening his door. Apparently he had just got finished getting ready. His clothing brought a smile to her face as she took in his appearance. He had on the same black attire he had on before she crossed the Gate and the ever famous red coat was on, along with his gloves. His hair was up in the signature braid. Erika didn't notice, but now that she sees him in his old clothes, she realized how much she missed it. Ed blinked his eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." Erika hummed as she walked down the stairs, putting her hair up in a high ponytail with her white ribbon and her red cloth hanging from her duffle bag. "Time for breakfast!"

Ed rolled his eyes before running downstairs to eat. He never quite realized how much he missed Erika's cooking.

XoXo… At the Train Station …XoXo

"It's such a shame Winry couldn't join us." Amy said.

Ed flinched slightly and then scratched the back of her head. "Well, if Winry did come along who knows what she'll do to keep us from the military."

Al nodded. "That's right. She knows you're quitting when we get to Central right?" Al asked.

Ed nodded. "Yeah."

Erika hid her eyes before turning around and then walking. "Come on! I'm not going to be late because of you! So hurry up!"

Ed blinked his eyes. "What's her problem?"

Amy giggled. "She's just mad about how much crying she did in the past two days."

"Ames! Come on or I'm leaving without you!"

Amy giggled again while following after her sister. "Coming Sister!"

XOXOXOXO

"H-Huh?"

"You heard me."

"B-But -A-Ames-!"

"I told you the story of me and Alphonse."

"T-That's different!"

"Not you too, Ed."

"I'm not going to tell you anything!"

"Sister…Equivalent exchange." Amy said, a smirk gracing her lips. Erika's cheeks were overcome by a rosy pink as she stared at her younger sister. Must she bring up Equivalent Exchange? Must she bring this up at all!

Ed stared at Al, the same look of embarrassment on his face. Al smirked at his brother's reaction. Hell. He even wanted to know how it happened. Ed glanced in Erika's direction, finding a blush so bright, it seemed like she was glowing. Ed smirked at her reaction, but nonetheless was just as embarrassed as she was. They both looked at each other.

The story of their kiss.

Erika nodded, and forced Ed tell the story. _Damn. Why me? _Ed thought. Ed cleared his throat and looked at his feet. "Kat pushed Erika, I caught her, and she fell on me with a kiss." Ed said quickly, not letting any questions be brought out.

Amy glared at the pair before sighing. "I guess that's all I'm getting…" Amy conceded. Then an idea dawned on her. "Hey sister?"

"Yeah?" Erika asked, calmed down considerably now that that was out of the way.

"Did you like it?" Amy asked.

Erika hid her eyes while her face turned entirely red. The hairs on the back of her neck turned up, as she started to fidget around uncomfortably. She started to push her pointer fingers together while she shifted to side to side, still blushing madly. She looked up at Al and back down. She looked up at Amy and then looked down again. Repeating the process over and over again, stuttering things that sometimes made no sense.

"I-I…W-Well…H-How….I-I…I-It j-just…U-uh…." She stammered still blushing. Her eyes were filled with bewilderment and Ed was quite liking the reaction she was giving.

Ed smirked as he leaned towards her. "Well?" Ed asked.

Erika squeaked as she jumped forward and shoved herself next to Amy, farthest away from Ed. "W-What the hell are you t-trying to d-do! S-Scare me!"

"You still didn't answer the question." Ed said simply, while leaning back in his seat. "Did you like it?"

Erika pointed an accusing finger at him. "W-What about you! Did you like it!"

Ed's own face bore the color red as he began to stutter. "W-What's t-that supposed to mean!"

"Did you like the kiss!" Erika stated. "You said it yourself! It's a simple question!"

"Yeah, for YOU!"

"How is it for me!"

"You're a girl! Shouldn't girls find this easy!"

"Quit being so stereotypical! It's just as hard for a girl as a boy!"

Amy sighed. It was just four words. She didn't expect her innocent question would cause a full out argument. She wonders if they realize they're fighting over if the other likes the kiss they shared. Amy sighed again, a smile on her face. Even if it's an argument, their reactions completely say that they did like it. But is it so hard to say it and not argue over it? Eh. This whole dispute thing is basically an indirect confession of love so Amy didn't mind.

"_Attention all members of the train. We have stopped in Central. I repeat, we have stopped in Central. If this is your stop, please get off the train in an orderly fashion." _the conductor announced.

Ed and Erika snapped out of their argument and stared up at the speakers. They both looked back down and met each other's eyes. They were surprised at first but then started to glare at each other. They then turned away, arms crossed, with a 'hmph!'

Al shook his head and then hopped off his train seat, Amy following behind him. "Are we the only sane ones here?" they both asked in no one in particular.

"HEY! WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!" Ed and Erika shouted in unison.

XOXOXOXOXO

Erika and the others had finally reached the military doors, knowing what lay on the other side. Erika could smell the smoke of Havoc's cigarettes. The scent of Hawkeye's gun powder. The slight sound of Fuery messing with the military radio. Breda's food and beverages. Falman's sighing and scratching of his pen. The smell of burned paper. And even the distant scent of dog food. Erika found herself panicking now.

What was she going to do? What was she going to say? What was Mustang going to _make her _do? More missions? Time on the front line? Paperwork? Was she going to be scolded- what was going to happen?

Questions racked her mind as she rubbed her wrists, standing frozen in place. Ed stared at Erika with a raised eyebrow. He sighed and shook his head when he walked forward and put his hand around the doorknob.

"Wait- ! E-Ed don't!" Erika shrieked slapping Ed's hand away. Amy and Al looked at each other, sharing an unsaid understanding.

"What?" Ed groaned staring back at Erika. "What is it now?"

"I'm not ready," Erika stated staring at the door in front of her.

"Not ready for what?" Ed asked, growing impatient. "I thought you wanted to get here by one? Well, we're here. Make up your mind, Erika!"

"I'm freaked out as hell, Ed! Stop pressuring me! It'll only take a moment for me to compose myself," Erika concluded breathing in slowly.

Amy rose an eyebrow, and so did Al. Al voiced the unsaid question, not wanting to wait any longer. "So…You two call each other by first name now?"

Ed and Erika shifted their attention to Al, a bit surprised by his question. Amy nodded. "Yeah. What happened to 'Evans and Elric'?" Amy asked, dumbfounded.

Ed and Erika exchanged a look and then shrugged. "Well, we sometimes call each other by our last names…" Ed admitted.

"But we mainly call each other Ed and Erika. Why? Is it surprising?" Erika asked.

"I guess since you two spent so much time together on the other side of the Gate, it was only natural that you two would start calling each other by your first names," Al said.

Amy smiled. "I'm happy for you both, though. You're finally becoming closer friends."

_Friends? _Ed thought grimly. Ed blush a slight tint of pink before brushing the feeling off. Sometimes he forgets that he acknowledged that he might have a crush on Erika, even though he still denies it. Well, he has to face the facts now.

"You ready now?" Ed asked, gesturing to the door.

Erika nodded. "Yeah," Erika said and opened the door gingerly. The door creaked open and Erika ducked her head down so that no one could see her face. She shoved Ed's down to, so that no one could see his either. Ed didn't complain as the door fully opened, revealing the entire crew.

All their heads looked up, and stared at the four teens. Their eyes softened upon seeing Al and Amy; they had both been frequent visitors to Central HQ. Hawkeye's mahogany orbs danced with curiosity as she spotted both Ed and Erika. She still couldn't see their faces and that bothered her. Havoc smiled, his cigarette threatening to fall from his lips.

"Hey Ames, Al," Havoc said with a wave.

Amy nodded her head in reply and Al waved back. "Good afternoon , Havoc," Amy greeted.

"Who are the two behind you?" Havoc asked casually steering to see the blond and brunette behind them.

Erika nodded at Ed, sending the signal to Edward that it was okay to look up. Ed nodded back and he looked up, meeting everyone's eyes. Everyone in the room started to brighten at Ed's arrival.

"'Bout time you came here, Ed. We were starting to get worried," Havoc said jokingly.

Ed seemed to scowl of some sort and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, yeah…" Ed grumbled trying to conceal the smile on his lips.

Hawkeye lifted her lips into a small smile. "Nice to see you back, Edward," she said looking at him with happy eyes.

Ed smiled softly. "Nice to see you all too," Ed confided lifting his hand in a wave.

"Hey, Ed? Who's that cute girl behind you?" Havoc asked trying desperately to peer at Erika.

Erika jumped, unable to hide from the others anymore, and started to blush slightly. "Not cool, Havoc. I don't want to fall victims of your twenty billion dates," Erika said jokingly.

The room fell silent upon seeing Erika. The room was filled with gasps as they stared at Erika dumbfounded. Hawkeye rose from her feet, gradually walking towards Erika. "Is that really you, Erika?" she asked softly.

Havoc stared at her in shock. The cigarette that was in his mouth had fallen out and he was bewildered with shock, happiness, and confusion. Breda, Fuery and Falman all had the same expression as well.

"E-Erika?" Fuery asked adjusting his glasses. "You're really here?"

Erika nodded, smiling. "Yep!" Erika replied cheerfully.

"Where have you been this whole time?" Falman asked.

Erika sweat dropped. "It's kind of a long story…"

"One that we could all listen to," a voice answered smoothly. Everyone snapped their attention towards the voice and snapped a salute.

Erika looked forward to find a man draped in blue military attire. His hair jet black and his eyes midnight. The man smirked before responding.

"Nice to put your missing persons report down, finally," the man teased, his smirk growing. Erika chuckled softly.

"Mustang. Five months, right?"

* * *

><p><strong>BN: And so they're finally at Central! I wonder what will happen? Ed and Erika calling each other by first names? Well, psshh! They had to after how long they've known each other. 10 pages on microsoft! Sweet! ^_^<strong>

**Well, Until next chap! **=:D


	8. On Final Salute

Mustang nodded, his face still with a smirk. "Yes. Five months, indeed. Where have you been this whole time?" Mustang asked, irony etched into his words.

Erika rolled her eyes, to the relief of everyone in the room. "I think you know perfectly well, Colonel. I'm not sure if this has any meaning but," she said and reached into her pocket, pulling something out. She held it up and threw at Mustang, who successfully caught it. "Am I still part of the military?"

Mustang opened up his cupped hands to find a silver pocket watch, a dragon in the center of it and a dangling chain to match. It wasn't new to him; he had his own. But something in Erika's eyes made him worry just a bit at his answer. He looked over at his first State Alchemist, Edward Elric: Fullmetal. His golden eyes were twisted in worry, sadness, and one emotion that typically one wouldn't see in a seventeen-year-old. Mustang smirked at the realization. He should've known that this would happen. Mustang knew Edward well, and he knew that Ed was a sucker for a pretty face. Just as he was.

Mustang smirked as he threw the pocket watch back at Erika who caught it delicately. "Well, Sparky. You've got a lot of paperwork ahead of you. Considering how long you've been gone," Mustang said as he opened up the door to his office. "Lieutenant."

At Riza Hawkeye's title, she stood up straight and saluted. "Yes sir?" she asked, her eyes etched in worry. Just what did the Colonel plan on now?

"Come with me," The Colonel replied, waving Ed, Erika, and Riza into his office. Riza nodded and towed in after him, in lead of the two teens. Erika and Ed sent a quick glance at their younger siblings and signaled them a look that both had different meanings. Erika's meant 'I'll be back soon.' While Ed's meant "I'll see what I can do.'

As they all entered the office, Riza shut the door behind them and then resumed her position at Mustang's side. Mustang stared Ed and Erika down, waiting on their reactions. Erika bit the inside of her cheek, knowing what Mustang had probably intended in the stare. He wanted one of them to squirm, but Erika wasn't going to. Not anymore. She just wanted to know why they isolated them from the others. For what reason could they have possibly wanted only them to know?

Hawkeye cleared her throat, sending a glare in Roy's way. Roy looked at her exasperated, but then cleared his throat as well upon seeing her glare. He rested his chin on his folded hands as he waited a few moments before speaking. He turned his gaze towards Ed and asked the one question he didn't want to answer.

"Should I address you as Fullmetal or Edward?" Roy asked, letting the words sink in.

Erika snapped her head in Ed's direction, confused and shocked. She scrunched her eyebrows together as she tried to figure out what Mustang meant by that. "W-What does that mean, Ed?" Erika asked softly.

Riza's eyes widened upon hearing Erika call Ed by his first name. That had been the first time ever she had heard Erika do that. Then Hawkeye's eyes softened as she stared down at her feet. Has no one told her yet?

"Edward?" Erika pressed on, looking at her partner intensely. "What did Mustang mean by that?"

Ed tried to turn to Erika, but found himself unable to look her in the eye. Ed looked down, as he clenched his hand into a fist. "He means…" Ed said softly, finding his mouth feeling like it was full of cotton. Ed tried again, forcing himself to say the words. "He means that…_I_ mean that…I'm resigning from the military."

Erika choked back a gasp and found herself wavering with despair. He wasn't going to be the Fullmetal Alchemist anymore. He wasn't going to be at her side anymore. He wasn't going to be her _partner_ anymore. Not anymore. Erika swallowed as she grabbed onto Ed's sleeve. She felt a lump grow in her throat and her chest tightened.

"So, you're…" Erika whispered, trying to meet Ed's eye. "You're…leav…" Erika couldn't find the will to say the word. It hurt too much. She hid her eyes, not wanting the truth to fall.

Ed nodded, still not meeting her eye. "…Yeah…I am," Edward said, still not daring to see Erika's eyes. He knew fairly well what he'd see if he looked at her. He didn't want to see her that way. It pained him to look at her when she was like that. Ed stood up, Erika's grip still on his sleeve. Ed sighed silently, knowing that if he left her grasp, he wouldn't be able to see her ever again. Instead, he sat back down and threw his pocket watch back at Mustang.

It landed on the table with a small 'thud.' Mustang shook his head, and then grabbed it, pulling it towards him and stuffed it into a drawer. "It has been a pleasure to be your superior, Fullmetal. By your final salute, it will concede your resign. Do as you may, and salute when ready." Roy let the words hang in the air, and when Ed did nothing, he sighed in acceptance.

"So Sapphire Spark," Mustang continued. Erika looked up, her grip never leaving Ed's arm. "We have matters to discuss with you. But before that happens, I'll let you have your final goodbye with your past partner." Past. His word stung, but there was nothing Erika could do about it. "We shall leave and return when you are ready." With that, Mustang and Hawkeye left the room.

When Ed and Erika heard the door shut, they sat in silence. Neither of them wanted to break the silence that hung in the air, or that would mean that it was true. That Ed was resigning, and Erika would stay in the military. That some sort of barrier would be set between them. The other wasn't in arms reach and that their bond would be broken. The bond of partnership. Their lives weren't in the hands of the other. It was now in their own hands. And for some reason, that was what was most heart breaking.

"I'll be in Risembool," Edward said, breaking the long silence. Erika looked up, shocked at his words. "Winry, Al, and Auntie Pinako will be there. I'm pretty sure Ames would be visiting Al regularly , so you should sometime visit too. You know…for old time's sake." Ed couldn't believe the words he was saying. It didn't make any sense coming out of his mouth. "I'm not so sure if you'll be able to visit with work now that you're a full time State Alchemist and all, but-"

"Ed."

Ed looked up, finally seeing Erika's eyes. Her sapphire orbs were engulfed in pain and sadness, threatening to break their walls and have tears spill on her cheeks. Her grip on Ed's arm loosened as her hand traveled down, onto his own hand. She slowly encased her hand in his, entwining her fingers in Ed's, letting her eyes gaze into his eyes.

"I wasn't aware that you were going to resign," Erika said finally. "I was thought to be dead. I _could_ have been dead…but you saved me. I'm not so sure what was going in that brain of yours, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't just to let me down after so many attempts." Erika let her gaze fall down onto their hands that were clasped around each other. She squeezed his hand, and by response, he did too. "I let my life be in your hands. And in return, you gave me your life in mine. We are, and always will be partners. I don't care a damned thing about what papers say; we are _partners. _Nothing can change that. Got it?"

Ed stared at her momentarily, before a thought struck his mind. As Erika's tight hold on his hand weakened, Ed squeezed her hand tight. Erika looked at him in reply, and as if something burst inside of him, he started to lean forward. Erika stared at him further, not moving a muscle. Ed squeezed Erika's hand harder, not wanting her to leave. Ed put his hand on Erika's cheek, not his automail one. The hand that can _feel. _He felt the smooth skin on Erika's cheek and kept it there longer.

That was when a tear started to go down her face. Subconsciously, he wiped the tear away with his thumb and as the tear disappeared, he realized what he was doing. This wouldn't help her. Only hurt her more. More than necessary. Ed breathed out, finding it futile to try and do this, no matter how much he wanted to. And man did he _want _to. But kissing her wouldn't help their current situation.

Ed drifted his hand down from her face and stood up, their hands still holding together. Ed shut his eyes, and took his hand away from hers. Erika's eyes widened and then another tear threatened to go down her face. Erika nodded, somehow getting the signal he was sending. She stood up, and by instinct pressed her lips to his cheek. She let it stay for about seven seconds before pulling away and then looked down.

"I guess this is the final goodbye…" Erika said softly.

"Erika."

She looked up, unable to conceal the surprise of her first name. Ed put both of his hands on her shoulders, and suppressed the urge to kiss her once again. Instead the words came to him, suddenly realizing that he still needed to tell her something.

"No matter what," Ed started, keeping his eyes trained on hers. "No matter what, I'll always be there to save you. Even if I'm not Fullmetal anymore, your life is still in my hands. And I'll make sure that it will never die as long as I live." And as a sudden smirk tugged on his lips, he added, "I don't want to be known as the guy whose partner died on him. So don't be dying on me."

Erika couldn't help the laugh at that one, and nodded. "I won't forget."

As if on cue, Mustang and Hawkeye opened the door. Ed put his hands down from Erika's shoulders as he turned in on salute to Roy. "Well Colonel Bastard. This is goodbye."

Roy rolled his eyes at his most memorable speech. He saluted as well, and then began to speak again. "As Colonel Roy Mustang, State Alchemist Flame, I hereby sentence your final salute to the duties of the military. It has been a pleasure working with you."

Ed nodded and dropped his hand from the saluting position. He reluctantly stepped forward and opened the door, about to step out when he heard Erika.

"Hey Shrimp!" Erika called. Ed fumed, but turned to her nonetheless. "Don't be dying on me either. That's your _final _order." Ed stuck out his tongue at her and Erika returned it with a roll of her eyes. Ed walked out, leaving something he wished he could hold onto forever. Erika found herself losing something she never wanted to lose.

_And don't ever forget…_ Erika thought.

_Don't you die on me… _Ed thought.

_You promised._

* * *

><p><strong>BN: Now, this story is STILL continuing so don't jump to any conclusions! It's still going on. Now that was clear...my main thought while writing this was...well...ideas for oncoming chapters really. <strong>

**Anyways, this is for all Erika/Ed fans! You wanted fluff, so here's fluff! Or should I call this angst? -_-"**

**Until Next Chap**! =:D


	9. What Had Happened After You Were Gone

**Top Note: Sorry for taking so long. Had to get inspiration back. -_-" Writer's Block sucks.. Anyway, he is the chapter we've all been waiting for! What Mustang needed to tell Erika about...how about you read on and find out.**

* * *

><p>When Ed had left the room, Erika found it hard to breathe. She mentally scolded herself for getting so attached to the blond, but didn't regret it. In fact, she embraced it. If it weren't for her attachment to said boy, she could've been dead by now. In more ways than one. Shaking her head free of all thoughts pertaining to Edward, she turned to Roy and Riza. Both of them had their eyes trained on the brunette and didn't uphold their stare until Riza had nudged Mustang in the ribs. He turned to her a bit startled but understood the signal she was sending.<p>

"Well, Sparky. You've got quite a few things to tell us."

Erika cocked her head to the side, confused of what the Colonel was getting to. After thinking it through, she realized what he was suggesting. She sighed and slumped her shoulders. "From the beginning?" she asked, exasperated.

Mustang nodded. "From the beginning," he repeated, giving emphasis to her situation. "I also would like it in a report, Sparky."

Erika groaned. "A _report_?" She wasn't in the mood for writing every little detail in her 'trip'. For the most part, she'd rather give her report orally. "Can't I just tell you what happened?"

Mustang's face graced a smirk as he tsked his tongue. "Welcome to the military." He strode over to the door of his office and opened it again. He dropped into a serious tone and lowered his voice. "Erika, there's something I'd like to show you."

Erika rose an eyebrow, unsure of her position. "Sure thing...I'll get Ames and-"

"Privately."

He spoke in a rather urgent tone that Erika had learned not to question. She nodded, and by a glance at Hawkeye, she knew that they weren't playing around anymore. This was the military. And her being a soldier, must learn to follow orders. Like a good dog of the military should.

Erika followed the Colonel and the Lieutenant out of the office, looking for Amy. She found her little sister chatting with Fuery and exchanging ideas for the radio. Erika bit the inside of her cheek, fumbling whether to call for her. She glanced at the backs of Roy and Riza and decided against it. For some odd reason, she felt if she called out to anyone in the room, she'd get fired. Something was going on. Something bad. Instead of speaking up, she bowed her head and followed after Mustang and Hawkeye. They soon reached the doors, and she slid inbetween the doors, bumping into both adults. As soon as she was sure that they were a sizable distance from the office, she jumped in front of the two, stopping them.

"Something's up. Tell me." Erika stared at the two, waiting on a reply. When she didn't get one, she started to get a bit frustrated. "I don't know what happened while I was gone, but I want to know. So, what happened?"

Riza looked at Roy with an expecting look, and he offered the reply. "When you and Fullmetal- I mean, Edward - were gone, things got complicated."

Erika lifted an eyebrow. "What got complicated?"

Hawkeye sighed. "We were hoping to tell you both, but with Ed gone..." she trailed off. Erika's chest tightened at the mention of her loss of a partner, but held the feeling in. She was confused on why she had such feelings, but she'd figure that out later. Erika shook her head.

"With Ed gone, you can't tell both of us like you had hoped," Erika finished for her. Mustang nodded.

"In other words, we need the _both_ of you," Mustang clarified.

Erika grew a lump in her throat at the assumption. She wasn't able to handle whatever the hell was going on. She wasn't strong enough. With Edward gone, she can't do this. Erika closed her eyes, trying to get the words to form on her lips. She found it harder, realizing that by saying this, she'd be acepting Ed's resign. She breathed in deeply and let the words ring out. "Well, you only have one of us."

Hawkeye nodded. "I can see," she said and then started her way towards the destination. It was now her leading, Mustang trailing off just a step behind her for a change. She continued the explantation for Roy, and spoke. "After you disappeared, there was an uproar of State Alchemists and mere soldiers being killed. Why is was after you left, we weren't sure."

Erika nodded, trying to fit the pieces together. Mustang took up explaining at that moment. "If you're wondering," Mustang started. Erika looked up at him. "Ed didn't know about any of this. He still doesn't know."

Hawkeye spoke again. "A number of State Alchemists were targeted, killed, captured, or injured with severe wounds. All officers killed, only a select few survived." They cut into a a different hallway, and Mustang took the lead and Hawkeye resumed her step behind him.

"The things is, the attacks were of the same group," Mustang said. "The Homunculi."

"The homunculi..." Erika repeated, shocked. She only remembers one instant when she met a homunculus- No. Scratch that. She had met another homunculus. And that was Sikes. Her first encounter had been with Envy. But even then it was so brief she hadn't put much thought into it. She couldn't even remember what happened. Erika looked up. "You said Homunculi. How many are there?"

"There's Envy, Greed, Pride, Wrath, and Gluttony. Lust had died by my hands," Mustang replied.

Erika scratched the back of her head. "You might wanna add Sikes to the list...he's a homunculus now," Erika said reluctantly.

Mustang nodded. "So they're back to six now..." he said to himself. Then he turned to Erika. "Details. It could prove useful."

"Well, he has these abilities to regenerate even from death. It seems like he's immortal. And he has heightened abilites, improving considerably from his human state," Erika explained. As an after thought, she added, "And he said something about some 'Father' creating him."

"Father?" Hawkeye asked. Mustang cupped his chin in thought.

"Now that I think about it, every one of them had mentioned 'Father' at least once..." Mustang said. "Anything else?"

Erika hissed at the thought. "Yes, but it's more of my own personal problem. It has nothing to do with the Homunculi." Erika growled at the pure thought of Sikes. He had killed her mother, and she swore revenge on him if she was ever to see him again.

Before she could say anything, they had made it to the destination Mustang had wanted to show her. Erika gasped at the sight. There were miles upon miles of blue clad soldiers. All severely wounded. White bandaging wrapped around their bodies, blood caked on their faces, puss forming on some severe cuts made by some blade. Erika stepped forward, her face lined with worry and shock. The smell of medicines, blood, and the stink of infection had sprouted up in the room. Their was a loud long beep, and Erika snapped her head to the noise. She found a nurse come over and feel an officer's pulse, shake her head, and pull the sheets over his face.

Erika balled one of her hands into a fist and with the other hand, felt her armband that held her transmutation circle. She looked down, unable to stare at the pained faces anymore. Moans of pain and screaming emerged from the room around her. A distant crying, some inaudible words muttered, more long beeps confirming someone's death. It was then she heard Mustang speak again.

"There's a war," he explained.

Erika hid her eyes. "That would explain it." She turned to the people of the wounded and sick once more, hearing more crying and long beeps of death. "Where's the war?"

"Amestris against countless bordering countries," Hawkeye replied. "Creta and Aeruga had attacked. And to the North Drachma is starting to rebel."

"Xing is still intact. Probably not deeming to challenge the desert that separates us," Mustang said. Erika clenched her fist, turning ehr knuckles white. Her bangs still covering her face, she spoke again.

"The Homunculi are leading this aren't they?" Erika stated. Mustang and Hawkeye nodded. Erika growled as she turned on heel and faced the two military officers with tears in her eyes. "There's a war out there. And I have to stop it."

* * *

><p><strong>BN: Now to clear any confusion, Six Homunculi is because Sloth hasn't appeared yet. To jog your memory, Erika met Envy when she and Ed were in Dublith and after they had made up over their argument. Al and Ed had already left Central, and on thier way home. <strong>

**Now That's done with...Thank you for reading!**

**UNTIL NEXT CHAP! **=:D


	10. A Simple Phone Call

**Top Note: Sorry for the delay everyone. Yard work needed to be done. So...yeah. Anyway, here's a chapter to show how everyone's doing after Ed's leave and how the usual schedule goes. **

* * *

><p>TWO MONTHS LATER…<p>

"You can't be serious," Havoc said, baffled.

"I'm not kidding. I'm going to do it."

"Sister! You can't possibly do all of that on your own," Amy tried to reason.

"Ames, I'm not going to change my mind," Erika persisted.

"You should listen, Erika. Amy's right. You can't stop a war on your own," Havoc said, coming to Amy's defense. Erika sighed.

"I bet if Ed was still here you two would be supporting me." Erika slumped in her seat, pushing her tray of pastries away from her. They were bought to help cheer her up, but it wasn't working. After a few close incidents, Havoc was assigned to be her guard. He didn't argue over it, seeing as though every guard Erika had quit the next day. It was her sharp tongue and her unreasonable actions that made them quit. It wasn't that she hated them, it's just that they didn't understand her and always misread her as unwilling to cooperate. She was still upset over Ed's leave and that just added to her resolve.

Havoc sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He was the only one brave enough to face her too. And the only one close enough to understand her tendencies. They had grown to be good friends, therefore making his job a little easier. He glanced at Erika and then at the ignored pastries in the middle of the table.

"Are you going to eat those? Because you're wasting my money," Havoc said as he grabbed a small chocolate cake from off the tray.

"That's a small truffle éclair you have there. If you bite the center of it, you'll be met with a soft milk chocolate mousse," Erika said offhandedly and sat up straight.

Havoc took a bite, and sure enough, the center of it was filled with a light mousse. He blinked his eyes out of confusion. "How did you know?"

Erika sighed as a small smile tugged on her lips. "I've experimented with a truffle éclair from time to time. If you look closely, you'll see the slight hole where the nozzle was plucked into it to insert the mousse," Erika explained. She watched in amusement as Havoc searched the small pastry for the hole she was speaking of. "And the weight of it indicates that it had to be something thicker than mere custard to fill it."

Havoc rose an eyebrow. "Wow. I didn't know you knew so much about baking, Sparky." He watched in amusement as she rolled her eyes at the nickname.

"Great. Now I have you calling me that," Erika said.

Havoc smirked. "Then what should I call you, sweetheart?" Havoc asked innocently.

Erika rose an eyebrow as she shook her head. "That doesn't suit you either."

"Whatever you say, honey," Havoc replied, getting a roll of Erika's eyes again. Havoc chuckled. He turned to Amy who had just bit into a white chocolate brownie. "How about you? What do you plan on doing?"

Amy put a finger on her chin in thought. She looked up as she tried to find the right words. "I don't really know. Since Sister won't allow me to join the military, I can't help her with her that…" Amy pondered a bit before she came to a solution. "I guess I could become an intern at the military. You know, do paperwork, organize files, fill out reports. That sort of thing."

"I happen to know that the library is hiring. They need a secretary." He looked Amy up and down, a smile on his lips. "How old are you again?"

Erika shot him a look. "She's sixteen. If you ask her out, I'll kick your ass and you'll be known as a pedophile," Erika remarked, glaring at him. He sweat dropped.

"Oh, come on, Erika! I was just asking how old she was because of the job! Honest! I had no other motives," Havoc said putting his hands up in surrender. Erika glared at him again.

"Sure you were," Erika said. "I'm keeping my eye on you."

Havoc smirked. "I see. You want me all to yourself, huh?"

Erika rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Like I'll ever."

Amy giggled. "I'm flattered, Havoc. But if you were asking me out, I'd have to decline."

Havoc fell anime style while Erika snickered. "Why?" he asked.

"I'm in a relationship with Alphonse, remember?" Amy asked.

"Oh."

Erika smirked. "See? She's already taken. Al's got her covered," Erika said. "I know my little sister is a grand prize to uphold, but you'll have to suck it up and let her be with Alphonse."

Havoc tipped an invisible hat as he winked at Amy. "Shoot. And she's such a cutie." Amy's cheeks burned pink but smiled nonetheless.

XoXoXoXoXo

Amy gripped her suitcase as she double checked if she forgot something. Erika smiled as she adjusted her little sister's scarf and coat. The snow was biting at her hands, but she gave her gloves to Amy anyway. She'd need it more if she was going to Risembool. Havoc waved goodbye as Amy stepped onto the train.

Erika waved. "Make sure to tell Al and them 'hi'," Erika said. Amy nodded, a small smile on her lips.

"I'll make sure to give Edward your best regards," Amy said and smiled at her sister's blush. Erika turned her head to the side as she stuffed her hands in her pockets.

"I never asked you to do that…" Erika muttered.

Amy giggled. "I'll call you later, okay Sister?" Amy said as the train whistle sounded. Erika nodded. "Havoc, I'm expecting you to keep Sister company. She's not exactly being social at the moment…"

At Amy's soft glare, Erika turned completely around. Havoc chuckled. "Sure, no problem."

The two military soldiers watched as the train pulled off into the horizon. As the train was no longer visible, Erika sighed.

"Great. My sister had a boyfriend for almost a year and I'm still single…" Erika grumbled as she and Havoc walked to Central HQ.

Havoc looked at Erika and chuckled at her disheveled mood. From sarcastic to this, it surprised Havoc on how she could change demeanors so quickly. She wasn't bipolar, just was able to change moods. Which made her almost unpredictable or predictable, depending on the situation. The frost bit at Erika body again, and Erika shivered slightly. She pulled her mothers coat around herself tighter, making some warmth come to her again.

Havoc was about to take off his coat and put it over her shoulders, but remembered what happened when he first did that. He was fixed with a fist hit over his head. He thought of it more, began to take off his jacket, _thought better of it, _and kept it around himself. She'd just give it back to him anyway, saying that he needed it more. Havoc saw Central HQ in view and sighed with relief. The snow's killing him.

They soon made it to Central HQ and walked to their designated dorms. Erika's was still 72 while Havoc's was moved to 80 from 108. He claims it was so he could look after her better, but she knew it was so he was closer to the girl's locker room. Erika reached into her pocket and pulled out her key. She stuck it in the door knob and twisted it open.

Erika retired to her bed. She fell onto the soft mattress with a grunt and kicked off her boots. After taking off her boots, she worked her way out of her mother's coat and hung it up neatly. To get more comfortable, Erika took her key necklace out from underneath her shirt and pulled her hair down from its ponytail. Her chestnut hair fell down her back and some wavy strips of hair framed her face.

After a few minutes of humming, the phone rang. Erika reluctantly got up from her warm bed and picked up the phone. She pressed it to her ear, a tired look in her eyes.

"Hello? This is Erika Evans," Erika greeted.

"Hey Sister. It's Amy." came the sweet voice.

Erika smiled. "Hey Ames. Get in Risembool already? That was fast."

"Yeah, it went by a lot quicker than I expected," Amy said.

"So, you arrived at Winry's safely?" Erika asked, letting her protective older sister side come out. Amy laughed.

"Yes Sister. I got here safely." There was a long pause before she spoke again. "It's been two months. I know you're still depressed over Edward's leave."

Erika sighed. "I'm not depressed, Ames. I'm just….not used to it yet." Erika could practically see Amy wrinkling her nose at her reply.

" 'Not used to it?' You've been walking around with your head in the clouds for weeks! You kept running into things!" Amy protested.

Erika groaned. "Amy, I'm fine…Really." Erika had to suppress her voice from going shaky, so she changed the subject. "So you're okay? You're not too cold are you?"

Amy sighed. "I'm fine, Sister," she said. "I think you'll feel a whole lot better if you spoke to someone."

"I'm speaking to you," Erika shot back.

"I don't count," Amy retaliated. "Please just talk to Edward. Here. I'll get him for you."

"No! Ames don't-!" Erika protested.

"Hello?" a male voice asked.

Erika sighed dramatically. She face palmed herself as she stared at the phone in her hand. She slumped her shoulders in defeat and then pressed the phone to her ear. "Hey, Shrimp."

"Would you stop calling me that, Hot Head!" Ed shouted.

Erika chuckled. "Then stop calling me Hot Head and we have a deal," Erika offered. There was a long moment of silence as Ed contemplated it in his mind. He chuckled.

"No way, Klutz."

Erika shrugged. "Have it your way, bean sprout."

"I heard you've been running into stuff more often than usual. What's up?" Ed asked, worry etched into his voice.

Erika's cheeks were blown over by crimson as her face flushed. Amy hadn't told Ed that she was still upset over his leave, but did tell him about how she was acting. Erika paled. What should she say? She can't tell him that she was still upset about him quitting.

"I-I just had something on my mind is all…" Erika replied.

"Really? What?"

Erika cursed under her breath as she changed the subject. "Nevermind. How've you been? It's been two months."

Ed groaned. "Winry's got me working like a dog! I'm always fixing stuff around the house and she's constantly adjusting my automail."

Erika smiled. "She's only making you do that because you get all fidgety when you're not doing anything," Erika said. "Face it. If she didn't make you do all those things, you would have done it anyways."

There was some grumbling on the other line before a huff came. "….Shut up…."

Erika laughed.

"So how are you doing? I heard it's getting a bit rough in the military," Ed said.

Erika nodded. "Yeah. I have to go through training once a week. And I have miles of paperwork I still haven't caught up on since I was gone on the other side of the Gate," Erika said. "I also have a guard now. According to military files, I'm too reckless to leave on my own."

Ed laughed. "Well, after your Gate stunt it's only natural they'd put you on surveillance. Besides, you tend to almost kill yourself on a regular basis."

Erika narrowed her eyes. "Don't you mean that _you _almost get killed on a regular basis? How about all those actions back when you were in the military, eh?" Erika shot back. Ed laughed nervously. Erika rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm going to get rid of my guard soon enough. I'm going off to train with Casey in a couple weeks. I _have _been out of alchemy in five months. I need to get my skill back up."

"That's nice. Make sure to tell Casey I said 'hi.' " Ed said.

Erika smiled. It's been forever since she's just had a nice conversation with Edward. Without the near death experiences, the arguments, or painful topics. It's never really been just her and him _talking. _Erika wished it could be this way all the time, but that can't happen. With the war at hand, the military's on edge. Ed, Winry, and Al don't know about it yet. She didn't tell Amy about it until today. Erika wished that Ed could be here in person, but he left. He has his brother now; there's no need for him to stay.

"I've got to go to bed. Mustang wants me up early and I have a meeting in at noon tomorrow," Erika said reluctantly.

"Oh…" Ed said. "Sorry to keep you up. You should get some sleep. If I know Mustang, he'll give you his paperwork to do on top of your own."

Erika smiled. "Goodnight, Ed."

There was a long pause before he answered. "Goodnight."

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><p><strong>BN: Filler chap. Wait no. It's nto a filler chap. It's kind of plot deepening. Wait. Romance deepening? Wait...STORY DEVELOPEMENT! That's what this chapter was. OK, this story will contain A LOT of time skips, because, well...It's how the story goes. <strong>

**Anyway, next chapter will take place a month after this day. Hey. I warned you about the time skips!**

**Until next Chap! **=:D


	11. Aerugo

**TN: sorry for taking long! Here's the chapter.**

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><p>XoXo… A Month Later …XoXo<p>

_Tick.  
><em>_Tick.  
><em>_Tick._

"OW!" Edward yelped in pain. He set the hammer down and put his now throbbing thumb to his mouth. He cursed under his breath. "This would be so much easier if Winry let me use Alchemy to fix the stupid roof…" A mischievous look overcame him as he looked all around. He looked to the back door to find no one coming out. He smirked and then clapped his hands. Blue sparks emerged from the damaged roof, and soon enough, it was as good as new.

_*CLONK!*_

Ed was sent hurtling backwards, almost falling off of the roof. He landed sideways on the very edge of the high platform, moaning in pain. A huge red spot on his forehead appeared, a wrench laying at his side.

"Edward! I thought I told you not to use Alchemy!"

Ed groaned as he threw the wrench back at the blond. "WINRY! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? I ALMOST FELL OFF THE ROOF!" Ed shouted.

Winry successfully caught the small wrench as she sighed. "You need to learn to not depend on alchemy to solve everything. Besides, the noise scares Den off," Winry said matter-of-factly. She giggled at Ed's glare and then smiled. "But since it's your birthday, I'll let you use alchemy all you want."

Ed's face lit up at the simple comment. "Yes!" he cheered. He got up quickly and jumped in joy. But luck wasn't on his side that day. When his feet landed on the roof, he lost his balance and nearly fell off. He grabbed a hold on the edge but that didn't last long due to the snow that melted at his fingertips. The snow made the thing he was clinging to slippery, thus making him slip and fall off of the roof.

He yelled out trying to keep himself from falling, but he landed squarely in a heap of snow. The snow didn't hold long and it made an indent in where he fell. Ed groaned in pain as he sat upright and rubbed his soar head. Winry laughed, causing Ed to glare at her. She tried to stifle her laughs, to no avail. She smiled and then walked off into the small house again.

She called over her shoulder, catching Ed off guard. "Happy eighteenth birthday, Edward~!" And with that, she closed the door.

Ed sighed happily and then laid back down on the snow sprawled out. Ever since he left the military things had always ended up this way. He'd be fixing something, though he had no idea how so many things broke so much over the course of five months, and then Winry would throw a wrench at him once he used alchemy to fix whatever was broken. It was peaceful, and it was how life should have been. He knows he should be grateful for this, but at the same time, he wished for something different. Something adventurous again. Ed snorted. _Erika was right. If it hadn't been for fixing things, I'd surely go insane. _He was about to close his eyes when something cold hit his face. Ed shot up and looked all around for the cause. He touched his face and then came face to face with snow. Ed lifted an eyebrow and then looked over at the house to find none other than Alphonse standing by the door.

"Al? When did you come out of the house?" Ed asked slowly getting up.

Al looked off, playing to be innocent. "I just came out," he replied.

Ed smirked, and gathered snow in his left hand. "Oh, really?" Ed asked. Al nodded. Ed got ready and armed himself with one snowball in his hand, ready to throw. But at the same time not letting his stance be known. "And why is your hand covered in snow?"

Al flinched upon being figured out. Then he relaxed as he grabbed snow in his hands and began to form another snow ball. "I see that your senses haven't gone numb from leaving the military…" Al said and then smirked. "But are you still as fast -!" Al quickly hurled his snowball at Ed's face, trying to get a hit.

Ed ducked down quickly, letting the ball of snow to soar over his head. As he heard it fall to the ground, Ed stood up again. "Ha! You miss -" Ed was cut short as something white hit him in the face again. Ed growled as the snow fell from his face, leaving a fuming Ed in its place.

Al had to stifle his laughter at Ed's angered face as he began to form another snowball. "I guess you aren't aware of the sneak attack," Al said smug.

Ed chuckled as he glared at his brother playfully. "Yeah, but sneak attacks only work once."

At that last comment, it became a full on snow ball fight. Or war in many cases.

Tons of snowballs were hurled in both directions, only occasionally hitting either brother. To most, snowball fights consist of just throwing snow. But to the Elrics, that meant using Alchemy to their advantage. Both of them could use alchemy without a transmutation circle, accounting for their share of seeing Truth. Canons that shot out canon balls of snow, catapults, even barricades were transmuted to help one of the brothers win. But they were equally matched, and it grew competitive.

After hours of fun and laughter, they called it a draw and retired from their game for now. They both collapsed on the soft snow, trying to regain their breaths. When they finally caught their breaths, they started to laugh again.

"Hey, brother?" Al asked.

"Hm?" Ed asked with one eye open.

"How long has it been since we played like this? You know, just hung out and had fun," Al said.

Ed thought for a moment, staring at the sky. "I don't really know, Al. I think it was when we were really young and we'd come home with snow all over us."

Al laughed. "Oh yeah. Mom always got mad at us when we came home like that. She'd have to wash our clothes all over again."

"And then after scolding us she'd put on a coat and go out and play with us," Ed finished. He smiled reminiscently. "That was such a long time ago. Huh?"

"Yeah…" Al said. "It's been years since we were able to just have fun."

Ed chuckled. "But we did have some fun on our journey," Ed reminded him. "We met a lot of people." Something struck Ed's mind, and he smirked. "And a certain someone got close to a certain Xingese princess," Ed drawled out eyeing his little brother. He snickered when he saw Al's face go pink. "You aiming to be the next prince of Xing?"

Al laughed nervously and jokingly. "Please. Me? A prince? You've got to be joking." Al sat up, Ed doing the same thing. "She's a nice girl though."

Ed put his hands behind his head 'innocently.' At these conversations, he couldn't help but tease his younger brother. When Alphonse was a suit of armor, Ed wasn't able to see his reactions to such things as well as he could now. These days, it was a time to make up for everything that was lost when they were in the military. And teasing his little brother was definitely in need of making up.

"That Xingese princess….her name was May Chang, right?" Ed asked.

Al nodded, still unaware of what his older brother was plotting to do. "Yeah. Did you forget her already?" Al asked. Ed had a knack for forgetting people's names…and appearances.

Ed made a face of realization as he pounded his automail fist in his palm. "Oh yeah. I forget to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Al asked.

"Amy wanted us to call," Edward said getting up from his spot on the snowy ground. He started to nonchalantly walk off into the house, pretending to not notice Al's horrified face. Ed pretended like he just figured something out. "Oh yeah. Ames wanted to know about all our friends we made on our journey." Ed struggled to keep his voice straight, as his body was aching to go up in laughter. "May Chang from the Chang clan right? Did you tell your new girlfriend on how May has a huge crush on you?"

"B-Brother!" Al cried as he jumped to his feet. "Don't tell Ames that!"

Ed looked over his shoulder, fighting off the smirk that was trying to play on his lips. "Why? Amy would just LOVEto hear about the princess of Xing that has a huge crush on you and vows to make you her husband."

"ED! I THOUGHT I MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE DON'T TELL AMY ABOUT HER!" Al shouted, running off to tackle Ed to the ground in hopes it will stop Ed from calling his girlfriend. Al jumped, wrapping his arms around Ed's waist, and managing to bring him down to the ground.

When Ed reached the ground, he was face to face with Alphonse's bright red face. His expression was fused with nervousness, fear, and alertness. On top of that, he was flustered as hell. Ed couldn't hold it in anymore, and burst out laughing. He couldn't hold it in anymore. Al's face dropped into confusion at Ed's laughter.

"I-I'm s-sorry!" Ed said, laughing his head off. "But the look on your face!"

Al groaned as he got up from tackling Ed to the ground and glared at his older brother who was still laughing his head off. Al rolled his eyes as he helped Ed up. As he hauled him up, Al couldn't help but allow a small smile on his face.

"Okay. You got me," Al said, conceding defeat. Ed grinned in reply. "Amy doesn't want us to call, does she?"

Ed shook his head, still grinning. "Wow, Al. I didn't realize how much you feared your girlfriend," Ed said.

Al shook his head as they walked back into the house. "No. I'm not scared of her." Upon seeing Ed's serious face, Al cringed. "Okay. Maybe I'm a _little_ afraid of her. But on the most part, I just don't want her getting upset."

"Why would she get upset about hearing about May?" Ed asked confused.

Al sweat dropped. "Dense as ever when it comes to girls…" Al muttered.

"Boys! You come in?"

Al smiled. "Yeah, Granny! We're in!" Al called back.

Ed walked off into the kitchen, seeing Winry fumbling with a package. Ed rose an eyebrow as he sat down at the table, picking up a mug of coffee from off a coaster. Ed didn't think twice about it and brought up the novel he was currently reading. It was a book that Erika had brought back from the other side of the Gate. Edward had to admit, it was quite compelling. The book always had him wanting more. So whenever he finished reading one book, Amy would go and get the next book for him. He was halfway through the second book, and it was really good so far. Winry's gasp of surprise broke him out of his thoughts. Ed shot her an annoyed look.

"What?" Ed asked.

Winry pushed the package towards him. "It's for you." was all she said.

Ed rose an eyebrow. A package? For him? Who could it be? Ed decided to put an end to the questions in his mind, ranging from who it was from, where it came from, and what it is. He carefully opened the box, and when it opened, a sweet smell filled his senses. It smelled like…vanilla and lavender. Just like a certain person he knows. Ed shook his head free of any thoughts pertaining to Erika, and took the object from out of the box. It was a round object, covered by a container. On the container had a note.

Ed picked it up and started reading the elegant, cursive-like print that was on the note:

_Hey. It's been a long time. Currently I'm way up in the west, near the borderline of Creta. I can't tell you the details. Everything I do is being monitored and recorded in some book. I was supposed to train alone with Casey in the far eastern mountains near Ashwell. I can't say anything else. Well, I hope you're doing okay. Is everything fine? Tell Winry I'm sorry for not writing, and tell Al I'm sorry that I can't visit. _

_Just a piece of advice. Keep your distance from the borderlines. And make sure to be extra cautious. I've said too much already._

_Happy 18__th__ birthday, Edward!_

_-Erika V. Evans_

Keep your distance from the borderlines? Be extra cautious? She's said too much already? What did all that mean? It's true. Erika hadn't called once in three months. The only time he'd heard from her was when Amy called her. Ed wondered what exactly was happening. She had already said too much…And what was she doing all the way near Creta? Ed shook his head. He can't think about that at the moment. Maybe he could bring it up with Alphonse later tonight.

Ed folded the note in his pocket and then took the container off of the gift. Once the container was off, Ed saw a transmutation circle on the side of it. It must have been keeping whatever was in there fresh. Ed looked to his gift and saw a finely baked chocolate cake. Complete with the candles, icing, and Erika's signature trace of cinnamon sweeping the sides as decoration. On the cake was the words: _Happy 18__th__ Birthday, Edward_! in red icing. Ed stared at it in shock.

"Hey, what smells so nice in here?" Pinako asked walking into the kitchen with Alphonse at her side.

Alphonse grinned as he saw the cake. "Wow! Winry, you made that?" Al asked as he marveled at the handcrafted beauty.

Winry shook her head. "No. Erika sent it," she replied, staring at the perfectly made cake. She smiled. "It must have taken forever for her to make it."

"Yeah. She sealed it with alchemy to keep it fresh," Ed said.

"If she did that, then she must have baked this very carefully, Ed," Pinako said sucking on her pipe. "After all this time she's still a baking fanatic."

Winry nodded, smiling. "She's never outgrowing that." She passed everyone a plate. "Well? Let's not put her good work to waste!"

After every slice was passed out, everyone started to dig in. Before anyone even got to sing 'Happy Birthday' a piercing sound of crunching metal cut through their ears.

"What was that!" Pinako cried out as she turned to the window.

In just a few seconds, Al and Ed had raced to the front door. "We'll take a look. Don't come out until we say it's okay!" Al shouted over his shoulder, following Ed who had already dashed through the door.

It was only moments before Al met up with Ed at the bottom of the hill. Those moments didn't matter for what was before them. Al looked in shock at their beloved countryside being bombarded with whatever _this _was. What Al saw put Ed in shock. Miles of military Amestrian blue littered the plains of white. Miles of gray were scattered along the southern border of Risembool. What cut through the loud shouts and screams of pain were the smell of blood mixed with gunpowder. Edward and Alphonse couldn't believe their eyes. A bright crimson red splattered across the white snow every few minutes.

"What's the military doing here?" Al asked breathlessly.

Ed was too busy watching a young man die a few yards away from him to reply with words. He only replied with a shock ridden shake of the head. Ed couldn't find the words to say anything. All that ran through him were the cries of pain and the blistering sound of gunshots ringing in his ears.

"It's Aeruga! Aeruga!" an old man bellowed. He ran up to Edward and Alphonse, blubbering nonsense of fighting and the military. He was wearing the traditional blue uniform, and an empty holster. The old man began to panic when he grabbed Ed by the collar. "Run for your life! Run away while you can! The only safe haven is Xing and underground!"

Ed gripped the man by the shoulders, trying to get some answers.. "What do you mean?" Ed asked fiercely. This only caused the old man to panic even more.

"They haven't told you? What has this world come to!" the old man exclaimed.

Alphonse put a steady hand on Ed's shoulder to get him to calm down some. "What my brother is trying to ask, is what's happening right now with Aeruga?" Al asked gently.

This seemed to ease the man some as his words slowed down and were more gently said. "Aeruga…It's…It's attacking."

This seemed to aggravate Ed a bit, but Al squeezed his shoulder to get him to stay quiet. Ed released the man's shoulders as he balled his hands into fists instead. Al tried again. "Why are they attacking?" Al asked.

The old man stammered. "The…The military! The war! Please tell me that you've heard of it!" he didn't wait for an answer as he lowered his voice. "It's _them. They _are the one's responsible. It's all for-"

Another gunshot pierced the air, causing the old man and the Elrics to flinch. What scared them was the closeness of the shot. The overpowering smell of blood sprinkled the air, and Ed and Al watched in horror. The old man who was talking them had stopped speaking. It seemed as if the entire world had stopped. The old man's uniform began to be covered in blood, and before anything had brought Ed and Al out of their gazes, he crashed down to the ground. Soaking the pure white snow in a sickly red. His mouth was open in shock and his head tilted backwards, his eyeballs rolling to the back of his head.

That old man had just been killed.

Gunshots engulfed the landscape, and all Ed and Al saw was the now dead man at their feet.

"Old man Sandusky!"

Only for a moment of time, Ed were brought out of his daze. A flash of chestnut flew right past them and down to the floor. Something jerked Ed's shoulder and he turned to the source. He saw Al's troubled face and his motion to the ground. Ed followed his brother's gesture and looked down. What was there was a girl. She was fairly young; around her late teens. She had chestnut colored hair, tied up in a ponytail with a bright red, now tattered, ribbon. She didn't show her face, all you saw was the back of her head.

The girl felt the old man Sandusky's pulse, and then shook her head. Something caught Ed's eye, but he disregarded it. It was too quick for him to decipher what it was. The girl reached into her pocket, and brought out a piece of tattered brown cloth and put it over the old man's face. She stayed like that for a moment before she sprung up on her feet and looked at Ed and Al. What shocked Ed were her piercing azure eyes that reflected light like sapphires. Neither Ed or Al could see anything besides her eyes. From the eyes down, a red cloth was strung around her face to conceal her appearance.

"What are you two doing here?" she asked firmly. "No civilians were permitted to go into this part of town."

Al shook his head. "We were never informed of this. We live up that hill over there." Al pointed towards the Rockbell house. "We live in an automail shop with two others."

The girl stared at Al for a matter of seconds, as if deciding if he were lying or not. After another piercing yelp of pain she spoke again. "Leave." She turned around swiftly and ran forward, towards the mirage of military blue and gray.

For some reason, this angered Ed. He cursed under his breath as he ran forward, and against his thoughts, towards the fighting and death. It took a few minutes to even come within a few feet of her. This girl was surprisingly fast for her appearance.

"Edward!"

Ed heard his name being called, but he disregarded it. He knew it was Alphonse, but before long, his younger brother was panting behind him. "Brother!" Al pressed on. "You heard her! We have to leave!"

"And when did I listen to a complete stranger?" Ed shot back. "She has to know something about what's going on."

Al groaned. "Brother! It's too dangerous! We could get killed!" Al tried to reason.

"I'm not going back, Al!" Ed called back. He turned his attention to the girl who was treading in front of him. "Hey, Girl!"

The girl looked back over her shoulder and her eyes widened when she set eyes on the two brothers. Although you can't see her face, you could tell that she flashed with anger. She stopped in her tracks, making a skidding mark in the snow below her. She turned her attention on both Elrics, anger showing in her eyes.

"I thought I told you to leave," she said in monotone.

Edward's pride didn't allow him to show it, but he greatly appreciated the break from running. Al stopped behind him soon after, and he began to pant. "I'm sorry. I told him we should go back," Al apologized.

"I've got a few questions for you to answer," Ed began.

"I have no obligation to answer you," she said fiercely.

Ed narrowed his eyes. "As a former State Alchemist Fullmetal, you do have an obligation to answer me," Ed said bringing up his pocket watch. "I didn't think I'd need to use it. But I guess keeping it on me proved useful."

The girl didn't even flinch. She just stood there, staring at him. "Even being a former State Alchemist, that still doesn't give me any obligation to answer to you." She held up a gleaming silver pocket watch, surprising Ed. "I'm a State Alchemist too. I'm assisting captain of this unit. I outrank you, Fullmetal."

Ed didn't relent. "I just have a few questions."

"Ed, look out!" Al shouted, tackling Ed to the ground.

Ed hit the ground roughly, face first. Ed was about the get right back up, but upon seeing a bright thing soar over his head, and blow up a few meters away, he stayed down. After a few minutes, the girl bent down to his level.

"I told you to leave. This is no place for two inexperienced boys running around," the girl said firmly.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Ed persisted, his face only an inch away from hers. At the close proximity, Ed saw that thing go by again. It was quick, and only happened for a brief moment. For some reason, he couldn't put his finger on it. Something in the girl's eyes flashed before him. It was odd. Up close, her eyes looked like a deep sapphire blue.

"I'm giving you one more chance. Leave freely while you can," the girl said slowly.

Ed growled. "Not until I get some answers!" he persisted. Al pulled Edward up roughly, nearly shoving him up.

"Brother. Let's go. We have to check on Winry and Granny Pinako," Al said.

"Winry and Granny Pinako?" the girl asked. "The automail mechanics?"

"Yeah," Ed said fixing his coat. "We told you we lived in an automail shop."

"Die Amestris!"

Before Ed could turn around, a rugged man came running up, a dagger at ready. The man was shouting war nonsense, craving Edward's death. It was only luck that Ed had backed up in time. A moment later, and a dagger would have been plunged in his chest. It was all Ed could do to dodge. There wasn't much Al could do. What _could_ he do? If he attacked, he'd get killed. And at the closeness to Edward, he might hit Ed in the process.

"Stay low!" a voice hissed.

Ed didn't know what to do, so he followed orders and dived to the ground. At last moment's notice, a flash of chestnut flew past him. Ed looked up to see a laced boot hit the rugged man square in the face. Ed watched in wonder as the girl flew in the air, and land on the ground. The man didn't stop, and begun to shift his attention from Edward to the girl.

The man brandished his dagger, aiming for bloodshed. The man charged forward, and the girl ran up and into the bustling army of gray.

"The moron!" Ed heard a man shout.

Ed didn't need to wonder what the man had meant. The girl had gone and ran into the enemy territory. And that was an instant death. Ed heard cries of Aerugan, gunshots, and screaming. It took a lot to imagine the girl he just saw screaming. She was stone faced. How could a scream ever leave her lips? Ed got up slowly, still surprised of what the girl had just done. She had run off into the enemy's space and drew attention off of everyone else. Now the Aeurgans were all focused on her death rather than everyone else's. Ed wondered why the Aerugans focused on killing her, rather than everyone else. Surely that girl must have been an important asset to diverge ALL of the enemies' attention towards her.

Everyone around Ed wasn't moving. They were still. As if…As if…

"As if they were waiting for something…" Al voiced. Ed turned to his younger brother. Al's eyes widened in shock, and he started to point in the direction the girl went. "Brother! Look!"

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><p><strong>BN: Cliffhanger! Dun Dun Dun! The war has finally started. But I wonder who's leading it...something for you to find out by reading on!<strong>

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	12. Little Red

**TN: Hello! Sorry for not updating in a long time. I had stuff that I had to deal with. Anyway, I think that the chapter is waiting for you to read it. **

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><p>Ed honestly didn't know what was going on. It seemed as though things couldn't possibly make sense. What Al had pointed to was of no means ordinary. In one moment, he heard the girl scream. The next, blue lightning sprouted up all around the gray uniforms. It was breath taking. What had amazed Ed was the position of each lightning bolt. It had encircled the entire Aeruga army. The form of it had been a perfect circle, and the blue stream of electricity was weaving in between Aerugan soldiers in a type of pattern. What the type of pattern was unknown to Edward, accounting he was on the ground and couldn't see the entire picture.<p>

"That girl has done it again…" an Amestrian solder, the same one who had called the girl a moron, grumbled.

"Done what again?" Al asked in confusion.

Ed furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. She had done this before. But the question is, how? How could it be that one girl was able to accomplish all of this? It took a few seconds, but Edward figured it out. It was so simple. Yet masked so expertly, that not even he could understand it at first glance. How could the answer not have been known to him? He was a genius in the arts.

"Alchemy," Edward said shortly.

Al rose an eyebrow as he processed it in his head. With one look at the glowing blue lightning and blue light, the confusion melted off of his face. He nodded in agreement. "How could I have not noticed sooner?" Al asked in frustration.

"Maybe because it's alchemy of great magnitude," Ed replied. "A girl like that wouldn't have been able to muster enough power in able to perform this type of alchemy. I wonder how she managed to calculate the specific time and altitude of when and where to put the transmutation circle…"

"That would mean that she put into consideration the brutality of Aeruga, the speed of their advancement, and the speculation of how many Aerugan soldiers would be killed before she performed this," Al said in thought.

"But that also meant that she had to know how much effect each and every weapon would have against the weapons of the Aerugan soldiers and the Aerugan soldiers themselves," Ed hummed in speculation. "But even then…how could her alchemy entrap every soldier in her transmutation circle?"

"Maybe she knew what their main goal was." Al exchanged one look with his brother and knew that they were thinking the same thing.

"She knew that she was the one they were after," they both said in unison.

The loud cries of the Aerugan soldiers had brought the Elric brothers out of their thoughts. The mass of gray had moaned and screeched in pain. Though the bright light had masked the soldiers' faces, it didn't take a genius to understand they were in great pain. The electricity bounced through the limbs of the soldiers, paralyzing them until it stopped. The friction and power of the azure sparks had made the snow melt, turning it into water. When the water met the electricity, the impact was enormous. The blue sparks pounced on every soldier unfortunate enough to be in the transmutation circle.

The water had coated them, luring in the electricity. The electricity now in contact with water, had electrified the soldiers, some even passing out because of pain. Something happened, but Ed couldn't put his finger on it. He screamed at himself to figure it out. Soon enough, the blue faded away, showing the now damaged bodies of the soldiers. After a few moments of staying on the ground and gathering themselves, they left in haste.

"RETREAT!" they all yelled at once.

Ed watched as the Aerugan solders left, leaving in panic. He stared in shock of their condition, putting in account that they were fully healthy. _Were_ being the key term here. When they had left the transmutation circle, their clothes were tattered and fried, their hair almost gone, burning pieces of flesh on their bodies. Ed stared in shock as he tried to register what the girl had done. There was something off about this battle, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

"Little Red! Can you hear me!" the male soldier called out.

Ed immediately knew what the man had meant. 'Little Red' must be her codename in this war. What confused Ed was the fact that they still used a codename when the enemy had left. Was her identity supposed to be kept secret? Even from her fellow teammates? This was no time to be thinking of her name.

Little Red soon came hobbling out soon enough. She was soaked in water and ice, probably due to the snow that had melted in her act of alchemy. She was soaked, yes, but was not affected by any means of electricity. Wait. Ed takes that back. When she appeared again, a huge gash was on her back. But it was different somehow. Ed's eyes widened at the realization.

It was a blade gash. She was wounded. And that's why she screamed.

The male soldier from before had run up to her, panicked. Before she fell, he gently scooped her up into a standing position. The soldier was well built, and had a rugged looking face. He wasn't young. He looked like he was in his late twenties, early thirties. Ed had just remembered what Little Red had told him before.

"_I'm a State Alchemist too. I'm assisting captain of this unit. I outrank you, Fullmetal."_

From that little comment, Ed knew that the guy who's helping her must be the General of the unit. If anything, he'd be the one to get him the answers he needed. If the girl wouldn't tell him, this guy had the power to order her to.

"Little Red, are you hurt anywhere?" the man asked.

The girl shrugged. "….Just a flesh wound. Not that serious." She was cut off as she winced in pain and gritted her teeth against each other. The man shook his head.

"You aren't okay. We need to get you to the medic. Along with everyone else." the man gestured to a section where wounded soldiers lay, bleeding through their uniforms and onto the pure white snow. Staining it in blood. The man scanned his soldiers, seeing their conditions. "At the state we're in, we might have to amputate some limbs."

"We know a place where you can get automail!"

Ed's eyes widened as he stared back at his little brother who was smiling like an idiot. Ed made a cease and desist motion, shaking his hands in front of him. "There's too many people, Al! Granny and Winry can't help each and every one of them!"

The man blinked. "You mean the automail mechanics? The Rockbells?" he asked. Al nodded.

"If anyone, they'll be able to help you," Al said kindly.

Little Red straightened up. "You're Alphonse Elric, right?" she asked.

Al blinked. "How'd you know my name?"

"Sapphire Spark tells me all about you two. And I quote: 'Edward may be a strong alchemist, but he's still a trouble making midget'," she said.

Ed fumed. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, CALLING ME A PIPSQUEAK MIDGET?" Ed shouted.

Little Red chuckled. "Sapphire Spark also told me that you hate to be called short."

"I'M NOT SHORT DAMN IT! EVERYONE IS JUST FREAKISHLY TALL!" Ed persisted.

Little Red giggled. "Are you sure about that?" her feud was brought short as she was overcome by harsh coughing. The coughs echoed throughout the hill and she covered her mouth in a desperate attempt to stop it. She quivered as she shut her eyes tightly, trying to get the coughing to subside. Al walked forward, and bent down to her level on the ground. He put a hand on her forehead, and his eyes widened.

"You're burning up!" Al exclaimed and then turned around. "Here. I'll take you to Granny's so you could get treated."

Little Red shook her head. "N-No….I can't. I have to stay with my…." she was cut short as coughing interrupted her again. The man who spoke earlier shook his head.

"You're badly injured and have a fever. Your job can come later." the man turned to Alphonse, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Look, kid. If Little Red's in any worse condition, the Aerugans will come and capture her. For the time being, she's safer with you and your brother. I'll send some of my troops with you, the ones who need automail. I'm entrusting you with her. She's important. If anything bad happens, call us. My name is Percival Green, Rank: General. I'm leaving for the time being." Percival picked Little Red up and placed her on Al's back. "I'm off." and with a salute, he motioned his other soldiers out to follow him.

Al watched as Percival Green made his way out towards the battle grounds, cleaning the battle residue out. Little Red coughed. "Damn it, General…You don't know how to…" she started into a fit of coughing again, her body quivering violently.

Ed stared at her. She may have caused the entire Aerugan army to retreat, but in the state that she's in, she'd be out of battle for a long time. Ed sighed out of recognition. He walked towards his brother, and crouched down on the ground. Al rose an eyebrow.

"What it is, brother?" Al asked.

"I'll take the girl to the house. You make sure the rest of the soldiers get there. I'm no good with people," Edward said, a slight tint of pink on his cheeks.

Al stared at him in amusement. It was true. Edward was no good with people; he was antisocial for those he first meets. Al chuckled and then put the freezing girl on Ed's back. Ed stood up, and shifted the girl to make sure she wouldn't fall.

"Okay. I'll meet you up there in a few minutes," Al said and walked towards the five men who was in desperate need for medical treatment.

Little Red opened her eyes. "Why are you doing this?" she asked softly.

"Because if you die, I'll be the one to blame," Ed said simply as he started up the hill.

She chuckled. "You're not that bad for a shrimp…" was all she said before he lost consciousness. Ed rose an eyebrow. What was that supposed to mean?

XoXo…. Ten Minutes Later …XoXo

"What happened out there!" Pinako exclaimed as she took in condition of the soldiers. Winry covered her mouth in horror.

"What's going on, Ed?" Winry asked.

Ed motioned to Little Red who was freezing on his back. "I'll explain later, but first we need to get them bandaged up."

It wasn't long before every soldier was in the living room getting patched up. The smell of blood and antiseptic filled the room, and moans of pain had been echoing throughout the room. The five soldiers, plus Little Red, hadn't been uncooperative in any way. The one who had been the most uncooperative had been Little Red. She kept on refusing to take any painkillers and only accepted any type of medication if the others didn't need it. And despite the big gash on her back, she only allowed a bandaging change when the rest of the soldiers' had been changed.

The only one who could get Little Red to receive any type of medication was Winry. Little Red's fever made her delusional, and only let Winry touch her. Everyone else who attempted to give her any consoling had been kicked away, and would only be calmed down after a few minutes of Winry's talking. It was odd. On the battlefield she had seemed so much older. But now she seemed like a child.

Ed and Al stood off toward the far end of the living room, unable to give any help to the two Rockbells. Pinako had scolded them off, telling them to leave them to their work. Al stared at the fevered girl before shaking his head.

"Why is a mere girl on the battlefield? She could get killed at any moment of time," Al said. "I just don't understand. What could cause a war?"

Ed shrugged. "I don't know, Al. I'm not sure if it's something the military did to piss the bordering countries off, or a simple invasion is set into motion."

"Brother! Be serious!" Al yelled.

"And I am being serious, Al," Ed said and the glanced back at the injured soldiers. "You think I'd be joking about this?" Ed set his gaze downwards, staring at Little Red who kept shivering. "And her…"

"What about her?" Al asked.

"It's her eyes. They look really familiar," Ed replied. He narrowed his eyes a bit as he stared at her. "And I don't think I like it."

"I thought so too," Al said and then lowered his voice. "Brother, do you think…?"

Ed nodded. "Yeah. She's an Eyes of the Soul, just like Evans."

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><p><strong>BN: Dun, Dun, Dun! What's. Going. On. <strong>

**So, the mysterious girl who is battling is going to be called Little Red. The reason: the piece of red cloth that hides her identity. She knows Erika, and she's an Eyes of the Soul. Where's Erika? Training in the West near the Creta border. Where's Casey? Training Erika for her alchemy and Arts of the Elements. Where's Amy? In Ashwell, taking care of things until Casey returns. **

**Hmm...I wonder if you guys have any idea who General Percival Green is. It was a VERY quick mention that will lead you to the identity of who he is. I'm not sure if you'll remember. But kudos to you if you picked up on that very little detail! To help, it was VERY briefly mentioned in the first story, The Forbidden Element. I'm not sure if you'll find it...Oh well! Something for you to figure out later!**

**Oh yes. Every now and then, I'll have one quick question for you to answer. You could answer it in your reviews, and the first one to answer it CORRECTLY will be able to pick out a one shot for me to write, concerning, well, anything! I might not put in with the story, rather put it as a side story oneshot. Depending on how well it fits, I'll add it as a chapter to this story. If I think it will prove as jsut a super sweet oneshot, then it'll be as a side story not included in this story, but I'll post it separetely.**

**Anywho...**

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	13. Little Red's Alice

Alphonse stared at the girl in front of him. She looked completely different than when he first met her. Her hair was down, untied with the tattered red cloth. Her face was a pale white, while her cheeks stayed a rosy pink with fever. Covering her mouth and nose was a bright red cloth, not letting you see how her face looked like. Her chest rose and dropped quickly, showing how short her breaths were. Little Red's fever hadn't dropped, but the gash on her back was showing improvement.

Al sighed looking at the disheveled form of the once so on edge girl. On the battlefield she seemed as if she were an adult, wisdom of war coursing through her. But now she looked like a small twelve year old girl, her fear and pain showing on her face. The soldiers around Alphonse had looked away, as ordered to from their commanding officer. Every now and again, they'd take a glance at her, and then shake their head. But for the most part, they'd stare in worry and sympathy for the teen's actions.

Alphonse took the washcloth off of Little Red's forehead and stuck it in a bowl of water. After a few seconds, he took the cloth out of the bowl of water and rung it out. After it wasn't soaking, he placed it on the brunette's forehead. Winry had told him to repeat the process when the washcloth had gone dry. Winry had to go and help Pinako with the pending automail limbs, and prepare for the surgeries.

Little Red winced in pain as she shivered. Al brought the quilt that had fallen off a bit over her torso again to make warmth return to the girl. Al felt sorry for her. She was probably forced into the military to protect her country, protecting her family on another note. She wasn't able to uphold her true identity of fear of anyone being an enemy spy or the enemy killing off her family and friends. She was only a girl. Al wondered of this was what Erika has to do now that the war had sprung out.

And about the Eyes of the Soul. Not only is Little Red a soldier, but she carries the burden of the eighth element, Soul. Al thought if she was alive when he and Edward performed Human Transmutation. If so, then she saw what they had made.

Little Red's strained coughing brought Alphonse out of his thoughts. The washcloth that was on her forehead had fallen off of her, and the blankets that were keeping her warm had shimmied themselves off of her body. Al was about to give Little Red some painkillers, when she opened her eyes for the first time in hours.

The first thought that had struck Alphonse was pure sapphires. Her eyes were the deep shade of blue that brought out an azure tone. The color was so compelling, it made Alphonse stare at her without meaning to. Little Red seemed to just notice Alphonse for the first time, and her eyes darted to him.

"Mm….." she mumbled. She looked Al up and down. "Who are you again?"

Al half smiled in sympathy. "It's me. Alphonse Elric."

"Oh, yeah. That's right," she said and then started to sit up.

Al tried to ease her back down on the couch. "Easy, easy. Don't strain yourself. We don't want your wound to reopen," Al implored.

Little Red shook her head. "No. I'm fine," she insisted. She looked around to the soldiers in the room. "Are they okay?"

Al immediately knew that she meant the soldiers. Al nodded. "Yeah, they're fine. They're just waiting on automail surgery."

"Automail surgery? How long will it be when they can be up and moving around? Will it be painful?" Little Red asked.

Al paled. What is he going to tell her? Automail surgery is supposed to be the most rigorous surgery that you can get, and it could take up to three years depending on how much automail you get. Al glanced back to see the hopeful look in her eyes and sighed. He couldn't lie to a sick girl who's on the verge of war.

"What is it?" Little Red asked, trying to restrain the worry etching into her voice.

Al sighed. "I'm sorry," he apologized beforehand. Little Red's shoulders slumped. "Automail surgery is supposed to be very painful and the rehabilitation process could take up to three years depending on how many automail limbs you get at once. I'm sorry…"

There was a long moment of silence as Little Red stared at her hands. Al saw how her fingers tapped impatiently on the blankets, and how her eyes seemed to soften. After a few minutes of complete silence, she nodded. This time, her answer was directed to the soldiers that lay around in the room.

"The surgery will be painful, and you won't be moving for a large period of time," she began. "But look at it as a relieve from war. This is your escape route, and you are free to take it. If I were you, I'd take it with open arms. If you choose to fight the option, after a few months you will be taken to the battlefield again. This time in higher odds of dying because you haven't fully recovered," she said and then something quickly flashed before Al's eyes. It went by so quickly that Al couldn't tell what it was. She continued. "If you plan on living, I advise you to stay home where you can recover. This way, you can be free of danger."

The soldiers all stared at each other. They exchanged glances, contemplating whether or not they should take the option. Little Red didn't look at them, just stared down at her hands. Her eyes were hard, and she fought off something. The soldiers nodded after a few minutes of mumbling. They looked at her, grinning.

"You think we're just going to give up? We can't face our family if we fail," one soldier said.

Another one nodded. "No matter what you can do, Little Red, you still need us. I'm afraid that you'll drop dead without us," he said. "So it's decided. We're staying to guard you here. We may not be able to move, but we can sure as hell shoot a gun in a chair."

Little Red narrowed her eyes as the same thing flashed by. But Alphonse caught it finally. It lingered for a while longer, and then disappeared. She clenched her fists, and sorrow flashed through her deep blue eyes. "You are all fools. When you can live, you choose the path to die." although you couldn't see it, Al could tell that she was smiling. "But you are probably the best soldiers the military could have. And I'm glad to be your captain."

"Assisting captain," one soldier remarked. "Mind you, General Green has the power to oversee you in combat and ranking. He's our real leader."

Little Red snapped her head towards the group of soldiers. "Are you doubting my abilities? Shall I have you run five miles?" she asked, half joking.

The soldiers grinned. "We're not doubting at all. You're more like a daughter than a leader."

"Those miles are just waiting for you to run them…" Little Red warned.

The soldiers burst into laughter. "Pipe down, Red. We're trying to say that we look to you as family than our boss," a soldier explained.

"We respect you all the same, though," another soldier added quickly. Little Red nodded.

"Good. _That's_ what I wanted to hear," she said.

Al shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Everyone turned their heads toward him, cocking their heads to the side. "Umm…." Al started.

"What is it?" a soldier asked.

"What are your names?" Al blurted out. His cheeks took on a tint of pink. "I didn't quite catch them the first time."

The soldiers snickered among themselves. "No need to be embarrassed, boy. You're red as a tomato," the soldier who had first spoken said. "I'm Dario."

"I'm Sebastian," the blond one remarked.

"My name's John," the green eyed of the five said.

"I'm Gerald," the red haired one said.

The rather quiet one spoke up. "And I'm Castro," he said. "We're the five Darrell brothers."

Alphonse nodded. "Nice to meet you all," he said and dipped his head. He sheepishly turned to Little Red. "And what's your name?"

The jolly demeanor of the entire room fell, and their grins faded. They all turned to Alphonse, their eyes solemn and stoic. Little Red straightened up a tad bit to ease the cold demeanor of the house. "My name is classified information and shall not be spoken of in the events someone will find out my identity. This cloth is a symbol to everyone that my identity remain secret and never be told unless given the word. I can't give you that information," Little Red said quickly.

Al furrowed his eyebrows in frustration.

"Well, we're not going to call you Little Red."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise as they whirled around to where the voice had come from. What stood before them was a blond, sort of short, and had deep golden eyes. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and he walked forward to where Little Red had been sitting.

"Little Red is the codename that's used on the battlefield where people are killed. We're not going to call you that," Edward said firmly. Little Red rose an eyebrow. "What's your name?"

Little Red glared at him. "I told you I can't give you that information," she repeated.

"Then what can we call you? If you don't tell us, we're just going to come up with a name for you," Ed said. Little Red stared at him in silence. Ed sighed as he rolled his shoulders. "Alright then. I guess we have to come up with a name for you. From now on, you'll be called Hot Head."

Little Red growled. "Hot Head? What type of name is that supposed to be!" she snapped.

Ed smirked. "Sorry, you remind me of a friend of mine. I call her that, so I kind of figured it would fit," Ed said.

"Well, come up with a better name than that. I'm not going to be called 'Hot Head'," Little Red said, glaring at Ed.

The Darrell brothers snickered. "It fits you perfectly well though. Such a shame to not use it," Sebastian said. Little Red shot him a warning glare.

"Not you too, Sebastian," Little Red said exasperated.

"Then what do you want us to call you? By the minute Hot Head's looking like it'll win…" Ed trailed off, causing Little Red to stiffen.

"Call me Alice," she blurted out. A small tint of pink touched her cheeks as she explained. "You see…Alice is my mother's name….Alice. Call me Alice."

Ed stared at her with raised eyebrow. "Alice, huh?" Ed asked. "Alice is your mother's name?"

"Was," she corrected. "My mother's dead. She…She died when I was ten."

Ed's eyes softened upon hearing that. After a period of silence, he spoke again. "Alice."

Little Red looked up. "Huh?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Ed smiled. "I was testing it. I called you Alice, and you responded to it. Alice is a good fit, for now. That is, until you tell us your real name."

Little Red relaxed upon hearing that. "Good to hear it. So. I'm Alice for now on."

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><p><strong>BN: So, from now on, when you read the name Alice, I'll be referring to Little Red. I introduced many things in this chapter. A little bit about Little Red's past. Who the injured soldiers are, waht their relationship to Little Red is. And how Alphonse thinks of Little Red. Little Red's fever has lowered, if you hadn't noticed from her now speaking nature. I wonder if you got the thing about the General and Little Red yet...I kind of hinted at it a lot in this chapter. (Don't think wrong peoples. General Green and Alice, Aka: Little Red, are not in a relationship.)<strong>

**I'll be posting more frequently, due to Thanksgiving Break. Okay, anyways...**

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	14. Where They Stand?

**TN: Remember Alice is Little Red. So when you see Alice, it's Little Red.**

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><p>A sweet smelling scent wafted into the Elrics' room. Edward's nose twitched as he sniffed the air again. It reminded him greatly of pancakes. There was a certain familiarity to the pancakes that snapped Ed awake. He sat up with a start. He sniffed the air again, to be reminded of the familiar smell. Ed quickly dressed, pulling on pants and a simple shirt. He didn't get to tie his hair in a braid yet, and left it down. He ran down the stairs, determined that he will find what he seeks. The smell was too familiar.<p>

Cinnamon and blueberries. Pancakes. That could only mean one thing.

"Evans!" Ed called as he raced down the steps. He bolted into the kitchen to see a brunette at the stove. Ed stared in hope. The girl before him flinched, and she quickly strung a red cloth around her face. She whirled around to meet with Ed's hopeful golden orbs. When Edward saw the girl before him, his heart sank. Ed wondered why he was so upset, but shook the feeling off.

"Elric?" the girl asked. "You're sure up early."

Ed shook his head as he stared at the wall. "When I smelt cinnamon and blueberry pancakes, it just reminded me of someone is all…" Ed replied and then didn't meet the girl's eyes. "What are you doing up so early, Alice?"

Alice perked up at the mention. She swiftly turned back to her pan and flipped the pancake over. "I'm making breakfast, duh."

Silence fell over the two as Alice continued cooking. Ed didn't notice earlier, but something was up with Alice. She wasn't the same as before. He guessed it was a good thing, instead of her being delusional and bed ridden. But something was different. Something was almost…cheerful about her. It was unlike her to be like that. At first she was uneasy and cautious. Always on alert. Now it looked like she didn't give a care in the world. She was cheerful and easy going. There was still an element of alertness about her, the way her shoulders were tensed up. But for the most part, she seemed…well…like a girl.

Alice eased the pancakes off of the pan and onto two plates. Ed rose an eyebrow. What was another plate doing there? Ed scanned the counter and found another plate with an entire stack of pancakes on them. Ed counted. Four…ten…fifteen…seventeen…twenty. There were twenty pancakes. Ed rose an eyebrow. How long has she been up?

Alice turned and started walking towards the table with two plates in hand. She set one in front of herself and then one in front of Edward. Ed stared at it in surprise and then back up at Alice. Although you couldn't see it, she was smiling.

"What?" she asked. "Never had someone make you breakfast before?" Ed blinked his eyes as he looked down sheepishly and began to eat. He flinched in surprise as he bit into it. Alice rose an eyebrow. "What?" she asked.

Ed looked up at her. "It's just that…" Ed looked down at the pancakes again. "You put cinnamon and blueberries in it, right?"

"Yeah…" she said and then rubbed the back of her head. "I know it's a weird combination, but-"

"Opposites attract, right?" Ed finished for her.

Alice stared at him in surprise. A tint of pink came on her cheeks and she looked away. "How'd you know what I was going to say?" she asked, somewhat annoyed.

Ed chuckled as he ate another bite of the pancakes. "Because a friend of mine used to say the same thing," Ed replied. He stared at Alice whose ears began to burn pink. "You know…"

"I know what?" Alice asked, biting into one of her pancakes.

"You remind me a lot of my friend," Ed started. "You know her, I think."

"According to your outburst earlier when you ran downstairs, I guess her name's Evans huh?" Alice asked.

A tint of pink brushed onto Ed's cheeks. "Y-Yeah," Ed stammered.

"Evans is her last name, right?" she asked again. Ed nodded. "What's her first name?"

"Erika," Ed said quickly. Alice rose an eyebrow. "Her name's Erika. Erika Violet Evans."

"Erika Violet Evans…" Alice said, as if testing it out. "That's Sapphire Spark, right?"

"That's her State Alchemist title," Ed replied. "I got a letter from her saying she's at the Creta border."

Alice nodded. She stared at Ed for a while, and then sighed gently. Her eyes gleamed over in some unreadable emotion and then she put her fork down. "Don't worry," she said.

Ed looked up. "Huh?"

"I said don't worry," she repeated. "The Creta border isn't like the Aeruga border. The Cretans have some heart," she added bitterly. Ed stared at her for the bitterness in her was a shuffling behind him, and Ed recognized the voices booming from across the hall.

"Oh, good! Some of Little Red's old fashioned pancakes! I was dying to eat something!" Ed heard Sebastian call as the rest of the Darrell brothers hobbled in.

"My names' Alice now, guys," Alice reminded as she stood up and started serving pancakes. "Only two per person. I made some for all of us, so don't be asking for seconds. I don't want to be using up the Rockbells' pantries just so you five could stuff your faces."

XoXo... A Couple Hours Later ...XoXo

Alice sat at the table with multiple papers surrounding her. She told Edward that this was the last battles' paperwork and some other papers she needed to catch up on. "The military isn't easy going even if I am just a teen," she would mutter to herself each time she moved onto another piece of paperwork. Ed heard some sighs come from her every now and then, and get a little apprehensive. Alice's fever hadn't gone away completely, and everyone thought she might collapse from all the work she was doing. Alice sat in the kitchen furiously signing and working on reports for the entire Aerugan battles. Ed sat across from her reading the book he's been trying to finish.

Ed stared at Alice for a long time. Something was familiar about her. She was acting as if she were at home. She wasn't acting like she'd never seen the place before, which was true. Right? Ed couldn't help but scan her movements in everything she did. She maneuvered around everything and knew where everything was kept even though this was her first time being here. What also caught Ed's eye was her sapphire blue eyes. He was tempted to ask about them, see if she practiced the Art of the Elements, but Alphonse had warned him not to.

Edward watched as Alice's hand moved swiftly across the paper she was currently working on. There was something in the way her handwriting curved and moved fluently on the paper. Her handwriting was a some sort of combination between print and cursive, and it reminded Ed of someone. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but it was familiar. Ed shook his head. That type of writing was common for girls and was easy to write if you're in a hurry.

Ed rose an eyebrow when he saw a picture of the old man who had been killed in front of him. The document was titled 'Sargent Mark Sandusky.' Ed vaguely remembered that was what Alice had called him when he was killed. Ed reached over and slid the picture from the paper catching Alice's attention. Ed stared at the picture in his hand, knowing that this was the man that had been killed right in front of his eyes. Alice sighed in sympathy. She passed the paper to the eldest Elric and repeated what was on it.

"Sargent Mark Sandusky. Worked in the field of battle for forty years, that man," she said grimly.

Ed rose an eyebrow and looked over the paper that was passed towards him. "Mark Sandusky was his name?" Ed asked. Alice nodded.

"Word around the East has it that old man Sandusky lost his sanity at age forty-five," Alice said, a look of recognition in her eyes. "It was said that the pressures of war had finally eaten away at him and the guilt of killing so many people had made him snap."

"He lost his sanity?" Ed asked, trying to make sense of what she just said. Was the man he was speaking to two days ago insane?

Alice shook her head. "I don't think he was insane. That's just that everyone else thought." Alice gathered stray papers and put them in a neat pile, her eyes wavering with sorrow. "Sandusky was a good soldier, and one hell of a friend. He was always the one to save everyone's butts if they were ever on the verge of bleeding to death. He put others in place of his own health. The only thing insane about him was that he could panic over the silliest of things. Thinking the world will end if we just spilled some salt."

Ed stared at Alice for the words she just said. If he panicked over spilling salt, he _was _insane. Maybe Alice didn't see the insanity, but overall Sandusky seemed like a good guy. Something tugged at Ed's mind though. "You said that the pressure of killing so many people made him insane. I'm not sure if you know her well, but do you think that will make Evans insane?" Ed asked. He had to ask. Just had to.

Alice stared at him for what he just said. Worry was etched into his voice and something was in his eyes that she couldn't decipher. "You mean Sapphire Spark, right?" she asked, some hesitation in her tone. Ed nodded. Alice shook her head. "Sapphire Spark may hate war, but she wouldn't go insane over it. She won't let the anxiety win," Alice reassured. "Besides, she wouldn't kill anyone to make that type of guilt."

Ed looked up at her. "What do you mean?" Ed asked.

"She won't kill anyone. That's something she'll never do," Alice said. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she clenched her hands into fists. "Talking about...Sapphire Spark..."

"What?" Ed asked, eyeing where Alice was going with this.

Something flustered Alice as she refused to look Edward in the eye. "W-What...What exactly is...your r-relationship with her...?" Alice asked, somewhat embarrassed. Or flustered. Ed couldn't tell which.

An involuntary blush crawled up Ed's entire face as he rubbed the back of his neck. His entire face went pink at just the mention of that question. "W-Why do you ask?" Ed managed to squeak out.

That caught Alice off guard as she shrunk in her seat. A lock of chestnut fell in front of her face as she tried to not stutter. "It's just that...You've seemed really worried about her and stuff like that..." Alice said, trying not to seem like a complete dork. "Judging by your concern, I don't know where you stand with her...I-I mean, you keep on saying she's your friend but you seemed..._really _concerned about her. So...where do you two stand?"

Ed's face flushed pink as his heart seemed to race. That was a good question. Ed never really thought about it before. Where _do _they stand? Ed had called her his partner, and she vice versa. They would always save each others' lives even if it meant that they'd be killed protecting either one. They'd willingly sacrifice anything for each other; after all, Erika _did in fact _sacrifice her entire life in Amestris so that Alphonse would get his body back. And she had said that she did that for Ed.

That's what people who love each other do...

Ed shook his head free of any of those thoughts. She'd always tease him about his height. She'd always karate chop him in the head. Erika would always seem to bicker with Ed for the stupidest reason. On the contrary, Ed wasn't so innocent. He's always teasing her about her rigorous training when he was learning about Wind. He'd always tease her about her fiery personality. He would call her girly just to piss her off. He also would make sure to call her out when she was clumsy. But Erika would return that fire with more fire.

That's what old friends do...

Edward scratched the back of his head as he tried to process his and Erika's relationship. They did kiss that one time, but that was because Katie had pushed Erika, and because she was clumsy, she tripped and it resulted in a kiss because Ed tried to catch her. Then there was the times when she'd tried to be nice to Ed. She even visited his mother's grave just to tell her that her sons were okay. She even made a song for the brothers, and saved them numeral times. She even found them a place to stay, plus a job and food. Not only did she try to be nice to Edward, but she also befriended his friends and family. Not only that, she also made sure his brother got a girlfriend by setting him up with Amy. For all the times she would tease him, she'd make up for it by doing multiple nice things for him that out shown the bad things.

Erika also wasn't the only one who did nice things for the other. Edward did in fact save her a lot. There was that time when the gangs in Ashwell almost kidnapped her. Ed sweat dropped. But that was her plan in the first place. And it also resulted in spraining her arm because she had to save him and his brother. After that, he cheered her up when she got freaked out over the book on the Eyes of the Soul. He also saved her when Sikes first tried to kill her. Not only that, but, even though it was the plan, he saved her from the bandit named Kelvin when he was trying to get with Erika. He even saved her from Scar. He even went out of his way to save her from the other side of the Gate.

Ed furrowed his eyebrows at the realization. All the times he helped Erika was in a life or death situation. He only helped Erika when it was a battling matter, or the possibility of someone getting majorly hurt. He never had done anything just to help her on his own time. But only when she was at a risk of getting hurt. Ed mentally kicked himself. Had he really been this inconsiderate? Erika had done so many things just to help him, not counting the times when they were at a risk of dying or getting hurt. She had actually done generally nice things for him just because she thought it would help. And Ed had only done things when they were at a matter of dying or getting hurt.

Ed felt horrible. Now he couldn't pay her back for all the good she did him. He couldn't even be genuine about it now because it would just to repay the debt. He wished he could repay it without feeling as if it were repaying a debt. It's not like Ed _didn't care_ about Erika; he really did. And it's not like he wanted to get rid of her. He wanted her around. Ed's face was traced with pink. That was how crushes felt like...right? Ed didn't know what to make of his and Erika's relationship. It could be called so many things. But there was one thing they agreed on. And one question that made everything go into one label.

_Erika smiled as she held out her hand in a fist. "Partners?"_

When Ed caught a glimpse of Alice's hopeful blue eyes he chuckled. She reminded him of someone. Ed shrugged. "I don't know what you could call our relationship," Ed admitted. But then he smirked, making Alice's cheeks turn a small shade of pink. "But one thing's for certain."

"What?" Alice asked, somewhat innocently.

"Me and Evans are partners."

* * *

><p><strong>BN: So, I decided to make this a fluff chap. I felt that it needed some relief from war. And don't worry ErikaEd fans! You'll get your most fated reunion of these characters in due time! I'll try to post frequently! OK, after chapter let's say...16. After chapter 16, I'll display the winner for this time's oneshot contest. **

**If you dont' remember what the oneshot contest is, it's this: I'll ask a question, and the first person to answer it correctly will get to create a oneshot for me to write. It can take place at ANY time, have ANY topic, and can be about ANY character or characters. It could be about ANYTHING. You get to decide.**

**So, for the time being, I'll ask the question and I will PM you if you are the winner. If you are the winner, create a oneshot for me to write about ANYTHING on this story. Remember, it can be about ANYONE or ANYTHING. It can even be taken place in the past, or even the future. If it fits well with the story, I'll make it a chapter in the story. If it's jsut a super cool idea, I'll post it separately and I will make sure to give you COMPLETE credit. **

**By the way, I might or might not post it right after chapter 16. It may appear later, depending if I leave a cliffhanger or what not. Anyway, here is the oneshot contest question.**

**Q: What are the names of the ENTIRE Evans' family? *This includes nicknames, middle names, and the parents.***

**UNTIL NEXT CHAP! **=:D


	15. Explaining the War

Alice lay on the couch, huddled up in blankets. A definite scowl was in her eyes, but Alphonse didn't relent. He needed to get her to let the fever disappear. And her working nonstop on military files wasn't helping the cause. When Alphonse stopped her, Alice was halfway through all of her military documents. She put up a fight, though. But what she didn't expect was Alphonse to be able to transmute without a transmutation circle. Al eventually won the fight, seeing as though he had alchemically tied her up with her own blanket.

Alice scowled as she took her medicine. She felt the medicine almost come back up her throat as the thick glop landed in her mouth. She gagged as she reluctantly swallowed the putrid liquid. The medicine was bitter herbs and some horrible smelling syrup. Al felt sorry watching her drink the stuff, but he thought it better her and not him taking it.

Alice took some deep breaths as she downed some water in hopes of getting the horrible taste out of her mouth. If Al had it right, the syrup was as thick as molasses and had the stench of rotten pumpkins and strong wine. Alice shuddered as she set the glass on the small table next to her.

"That…was _THE_ most horrible thing in history…" she muttered, face paling. "I feel like I'm going to throw up…"

Al shook his head quickly as he put his hands up in warning. "Don't! When it comes back up, it'll smell twice as bad and you'll taste it again!"

Alice blanched as she held her stomach. "Then I won't throw up….If I taste it again, I'll throw up even more…" She shuddered at the pure thought of it and then had a chill go down her spine. "What the hell IS that?"

Alphonse shook his head. "Unless you want to have another visit of the medicine, then you do _not _want to know what it's made of," Al said, paling at the thought.

Alice nodded. "Fair enough…" she said quietly.

Al glanced a the table Alice was working on before he made her go back to the couch. He didn't get a chance to see what it was before she started to run away. Alphonse shook his head. He shouldn't pry on things that aren't his business. But on the contrary, she seems willing to tell as much information as she can. Alphonse decided to take the chance and started to ask what it was for. After the question was out, Alice stared at him in silence. Al's face was still beet red from the question, but he needed some answers.

"It's military files," Alice said. Al slumped his shoulders. That didn't answer his question much. Alice tilted her head to the side somewhat as she craned her neck to see over the hallway. "Hey…Gerald, Sebastian, John, Castro, and Dario are all in automail surgery right now right?"

Al nodded, confused as to why she changed subjects suddenly. "Yeah…why?" Al asked.

Alice sighed as she brought out her silver pocket watch that symbolized her rank as a state alchemist. "I'm Assisting Captain of the 56th district in this war." Al was about to ask what her state alchemist title was, but he was interrupted as Alice kept talking. "When the General is away, I deal with the paperwork that comes with every battle."

Al rose an eyebrow. "Paperwork?"

Alice nodded as she rubbed the silver cover of the pocket watch. "The paperwork is what defines the average of killings and casualties of each battle. The files are what keep track of which soldiers are lost in each battle and what they need to improve on." She sighed as she let her eyes loom over the watch. "In each district, there's one State Alchemist. For the 56th district, I'm their Alchemist."

Al rose an eyebrow. "So there are more of you? Does each district need a State Alchemist?" Al asked. Alice shook her head.

"No, they don't necessarily need one, but it was used as a precaution so that the State Alchemists would be scattered around and be harder to target," Alice explained.

Al nodded. "That would make sense, seeing as though the State Alchemists are basically human weapons," Al said. Alice flinched at the word, and stared at him in surprise. Al felt guilty. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," He tried to apologize.

Alice shook her head. "No, no. It's alright. It's correct, anyway…" she trailed off, finding it irritating of her nickname. "We're the dogs of the military. They give orders, and we obey."

Al was silenced at that remark. It's been three months since Edward had quit the military so he hadn't heard the word anymore after that. It frustrated him on how they just so deliberately gave those people the nickname. It was horribly degrading. Alphonse could only imagine how his older brother had felt each time he was called that name.

Alice stared at Alphonse, realizing what he was thinking. She didn't want to make Al feel bad over something so trivial. "That's why the Aerugans focused their attack on me," she said quickly adding on to Al's previous train of thought. "That's why you saw them target me on the battlefield," she added quickly.

Al nodded. "That would make things easier to explain…" Al murmured. He looked up, and saw Alice's sapphire gaze. "You know, that transmutation you did was pretty impressive."

Alice's ears burned pink. "T-Thanks…Everyone at base thinks it's basic alchemy."

Al rose his eyebrows, surprise tracing his features. "_**Basic**__ Alchemy?"_ he asked, utterly confused on how that would be basic. That single transmutation was calculated to the last strand of hair. How could that ever be basic? Al shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of the insults towards alchemy. "Alchemy, huh?" Al asked, making Alice raise an eyebrow. "What did you sacrifice to make such a great transmutation?"

Alice eyes widened as she looked down. She made sure to cover her eyes this time too, making her face virtually unseen. Al smirked. He knew it was a dirty trick and that Alice would probably hate him over tricking her into telling him the truth. Amy had taught him that, and she even knew it wasn't such a nice thing to do. Especially when it came to secrets, he'd be the last to trick others into telling theirs. Alice's grip tightened on the quilt wrapped around her, and then she loosened her grip.

"In order to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost," Al continued, much to Alice's dismay. "I know that you didn't use anyone as equivalent exchange, or even used the souls of the deceased soldiers as your payment." Alice flinched as she quickly glanced up, meeting Al's warm gray eyes. "Alice, do you by any chance use the Arts of the Elements as a form of alchemy?"

Alice sighed as she returned the grip on the quilt. She tightened the red cloth that was strung around her face to hide her identity. "Yeah, I do. It's the Electricity Element," she replied.

"Alice," Al started, trying to ease his way into the question that might result in hasty matters. Alice sighed as she looked up at him. "Are you an Eyes of the Soul?" There was a long pause before she answered. She held her gaze until Al tried again. "Are you an Eyes of the Soul?"

Alice swiped a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked up a the ceiling. "I always knew that you were the smarter Elric…" Alice said reminiscently. Al's cheeks flushed pink. "I guess I can't hide it now…" She turned back to Alphonse, her eyes suddenly having a some sort of dragon swimming in her sapphire orbs. "Yes. I'm an Eyes of the Soul."

Al stared at her, speechless. Dragons were supposed to be the sign of Soul, the eighth element. Amy had once told him that, and now he was seeing proof right before him. In her eyes, there was indeed dragons. Al couldn't describe how mesmerizing they were, or even how it was possible for dragons to appear in her eyes. With a blink of her eyes, they disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared.

"So you used your Eyes of the Soul to perform that transmutation," Al guessed. Alice nodded. "The Eyes of the Soul are still bound to Equivalent Exchange, but they instead get a milder case of it. They could get broken limbs, sprained limbs, exhaustion, loss of voice…"

"Or even get sick," Alice confirmed of Alphonse's suspicions. Al nodded. "So now you know why I have this fever," she said with a sigh. "Thanks to you guys caring for me, I'll get better in no time. So, thank you."

Al shook his head. "Don't thank us. We didn't want you to just get worse and worse," Al implored as he eased Alice back down. "Any other secrets you're willing to tell me?"

Alice laughed, and Alphonse thought that was the first time he heard her laugh at all since he's met her. It seemed warm and very friendly. "No. No secrets, remember that I have to have some privacy of my own, you know." She chuckled again as she stared back at Alphonse. "But if you have any questions on the war, I'll be happy to answer them."

"Right." Al rubbed the back of his neck. Where to start? There was so much that he doesn't know, and he still had to tell Edward all of this afterwards. None of this information had seeped out into the public, and he still wondered how that was possible. Al shook his head. "First things' first. When did this start?"

Alice tilted her head side to side, trying to come up with an answer. "To be honest, I don't really know. I was only told about this a few months ago. I was gone for a long time, and was told about this when I returned."

Al sighed. "I guess I can't blame you there…" Al tapped his fingers on his knee trying to come up with some questions to ask. "Who are attacking?" Al asked.

Alice's eyes fell into sorrow at the question. She sighed. "It's all of the borders. Aeruga attacked, Creta's starting to invade, and to the North Drachma is starting to rebel. Countless other countries are helping them, but we don't know which one's."

"How about Xing?" Al asked. He knew certain Xingese royalty that might be able to help. Alice shook her head.

"No, Xing is still intact," Alice replied. "Whoever's leading it doesn't want to challenge the desert that separates Amestris and Xing. Even if they did get Xing to join them, people would die just crossing the desert."

Al rose an eyebrow at her choice of words. "You said they. Who are leading it?" Al asked.

Alice's eyes narrowed like when they were on the battle field. Al flinched at her reaction. He was about to take back his question when she spoke. "We've done some research on the subject. And we found probable enemies that were problems before," Alice clenched her hand into a fist. "Since you traveled with your brother, you'll know who they are."

"Who?" Al asked. There were a lot of enemies Al could say that might want to destroy Amestris.

"The Homunculi."

* * *

><p>Alphonse had just finished telling his brother everything that Alice managed to tell him before the medicine kicked in and made her fall asleep. Alphonse made sure to include every little detail, and every little drop of information. He didn't have time to ask for anymore, accounting that Alice was rendered into sleep by the medicine.<p>

Edward nodded from time to time, cupping his chin in thought. Once the word Homunculus was said, Ed nearly jumped off of his bed. "What did you just say?" Ed asked quickly.

"I know you heard me," Al said. Ed scowled as he started to pace the room. "There's not doubt in my mind that they would start this war, Brother."

"I don't have any doubt about that either, Al," Ed said and then groaned. "Amy doesn't know about any of the Homunculi does she?"

Al looked down as he tried to think. "Now that I think about it…When Amy and Erika were traveling with us we never really had a problem with the Homunculi…" Al gasped as he darted his eyes to stare at his brother. "You don't think that they could have planned all of this while we were traveling with them, do you?"

Ed sighed irritably. "I have no doubt that they were…" Ed murmured. "There's Envy, Pride, Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, and Sikes replaces Lust."

Al's eyes widened. "When did Sikes become a homunculus?" Al asked. "He doesn't have a Ourobouros tattoo does he?"

Ed nodded. "When me and Erika were on the other side of the Gate Sikes revealed that he was homunculus to Erika. His tattoo is on his neck."

Al shook his head as he buried his face in his hands. "Now he's one too?" Al asked. "Why didn't we see this coming. Now Amy and Erika might be in danger."

Ed shook his head in dismay as well. "I don't know Sikes as long as Erika had, but I knew him long enough to tell he'll kill without hesitation." Ed sighed. "The homunculus we know of are Envy-"

"AKA: the palm tree." Al couldn't help but laugh about it. He vaguely remembers Erika calling him that when she first saw him.

Ed nodded, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, the palm tree, Gluttony that fat guy, Greed's with Ling in Xing…" Ed furrowed his eyebrows in frustration. "Pride is Selim Bradley, and Wrath is the Fuhrer…I feel like we're missing someone…"

Al puzzled too. "Yeah, I do too. But that's everyone," Al said. Ed nodded.

"I know." Ed couldn't help but wonder about it. He got everyone down, not including Lust. They knew Sikes was a homunculus. Sikes, Envy, Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, and Greed. Who was missing? There wasn't anyone missing. So why did he feel like he was missing something so big?

Al grunted as he stood up and stretched. "Ames doesn't know about anything, does she?" Al asked.

Ed shook his head. "I don't think the military allowed her to tell Amy. And besides, if she'd ever tell Amy it will put her in danger for ransom."

Al nodded, seeing the possibility of people using Amy against Erika. Al started walking towards the door. "I think Amy has the right to know about this. I'm going to call her over so we could discuss it."

Ed smirked as he eyed his little brother. "Are you just using that as an excuse to get Amy away from work so you could see her more?" Ed drawled out, snickering at the way Al's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"D-Don't be ridiculous, brother. Ames needed to do work, but I think this is a little bit more important. I have no other motives," Al said as he walked out the door.

Ed rolled his eyes; a trademark inherited from Erika. Ed missed messing with his little brother. "Sure you don't."

XoXo… Downstairs …XoXo

Al dialed the number into the phone as he pressed it to his ear. He heard it ring multiple times, and started to get a bit impatient. This was important; he didn't want Amy alone when there were homunculus out there. It finally picked up.

"Hello? This is Amy Evans speaking," came the sweet voice.

Al sighed with relief as he heard her voice. "Ames. It's me, Alphonse."

"Alphonse?" she asked, confusion filling her tone. "What are you doing calling? Aren't you busy doing the chores Winry gave you?"

Al chuckled as he shook his head. "No, that's not me. Brother's the one who Winry has do the chores. I don't get fidgety like him when it's a slow day. I'm the customer greeter/entertainer for Winry and Granny."

Amy laughed. "That seems like a fitting job. You are a people's person unlike a certain blond we know," Amy joked.

Al chuckled. "Yeah." Al shook his head. "Wait. I need you to come over as soon as possible."

"Huh?" Alphonse could practically see her confused face. "Why do you need me to come? I still have to run Casey's shop while she's training with Erika."

"Please," Al pressed on. "It's really important. I'll explain everything when you get here. I just don't want you out alone right now. It's getting dangerous and I don't' want you to get hurt."

Amy giggled. "You're so cute when you get all protective over me." Al's face got touched with a tint of pink at the comment. "I still don't know what's going on, but I'll come over to Risembool. I'll be there tomorrow afternoon."

Al smiled. "Thank you so much, Ames!" Al said, and then remembered something. He glanced over at Alice who was still asleep on the couch. "Hey Ames."

"Yes?"

"Could you bring your medical kit?" All asked.

"…."

Al sighed again, a small smile on his lips. "I promise to explain when you get here."

There was still some hesitation, but then Amy's voice came again. "….Okay. I don't know where you're going with this, but I'll trust you," Amy said. "Bye Alphonse."

"Bye Ames," Al said and then hung up the phone.

* * *

><p><strong>BN: End of this chapter! Yay! Amy's coming back! I din't realize how much I would miss writing her...ANYWAY. The one shot contest is still open! If you are confused on what this is, then look at the previous chapter's author notes. It'll explain there.<strong>

**One Shot Contest Question: What are the names of the Evans' family? *This includes middle names and the parents!***

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	16. You Are Such a Bad Liar

Winry Rockbell sighed as she tightened a bolt on Dario's arm. Dario winced in pain as the nerves connected, sending his limb shocked with electricity. He glared at the blond, annoyance displaying on his face.

"Could you _please_ be more careful, Miss?" Dario asked, trying to keep his manners the best he could. When Winry took off her goggles showing her sky blue eyes, she looked confused.

"What? Is something wrong?" Winry asked, genuinely confused. In her mind, automail is the most precious thing in the world. Almost nothing can penetrate her love and its loveliness when it came to her. Dario sighed, shaking his head.

"Nothing…Just continue working on it," Dario murmured as he shut his eyes again, trying to keep his mind off of the shooting pain that keeps on inflicting his arm.

Winry just giggled and continued to work happily on the automail left arm. It's been about three days and all through then she's been working on automail. She hasn't slept either so every now and then the wrench would slip out of her hands and make its way to the floor. Although she was seeming to be cheery, she was exhausted. Her exterior showed happiness and cheerfulness, even though she was dying for some sleep.

There was once a time she dozed off on her working station. The only thing that woke her up was the small yelp of pain coming from Sebastian. It's been three whole days of hard work and there was still some adjustments to be done. The automail surgery was done yesterday night, and that was rigorous than ever. One after another, automail was being placed on the places where their limbs used to be. Granny Pinako had suggested that it'd take about six months to recover from the surgery, but the five Darrell brothers had insisted on getting automail as soon as possible.

Pinako had wagered them down to one person a day for automail setting, saying that Winry and herself shouldn't be overexerting themselves after three all-nighters. It surprised Winry and Pinako on how quickly they made the automail. It was just sheer luck that they found some pending automail limbs laying around that were a few of the Darrell brothers' measurements.

When a small clank of metal resounded in the room, Winry flinched at the noise. She had loved the sound of metal hitting surfaces of other things, the smell of oil, and especially the sound of bolts clicking into place, but about now the sound of metal was hurting her ears. Winry had just bent down to try and pick up the wrench that had fallen out of her hand when another bigger hand had picked it up for her. Winry's eyes widened as she trailed her eyes up to find the quietest of the Darrell brothers, Castro, hand the wrench to her.

"Don't overexert yourself Miss. Winry," he started timidly. "I think you should get some rest. We could continue the automail adjustments tomorrow."

Winry nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Castro," she said as she stood up rubbed one of her eyes. "I'll be sure to come and start on your surgery in two more days. For now me and Granny need to finish our adjustments and more automail placements. I promise to continue your maintenance as soon as I can."

Castro nodded, and flashed a small smile. It was then when he faded back into the big group of his loud brothers. Winry puzzled on how such a nice and quiet one as Castro would be the brother of the loud Darrell brothers. In loudness factors, it would go in order: Dario, Sebastian, Gerald, John, and Castro. Castro was very timid and quiet and would only talk when needed. Winry hadn't found out why, but she didn't want to pry on things that weren't her business.

Winry shook her head as she stretched her arms up high in the air. This was no time to be thinking of personalities of the military soldiers. She desperately needed sleep and Castro was kind enough to give her that one little joy. Winry started upstairs, Pinako slowly following.

For now, she'll sleep the day away.

* * *

><p>Alphonse and Edward waited patiently inside the living room awaiting the arrival of the youngest Evans. Ed let his eyes loom over the brunette who was sleeping soundlessly on the couch across from him. Alice hadn't moved from her spot in the last few hours and it was getting to be a bit worrying.<p>

A few hours earlier she had woken up screaming again. Although Ed didn't know her for long, it scared him watching her being so frightened. It was unsettling seeing her delusional again. Edward and Alphonse had thought that she was done with the delusions and screaming. The Darrell brothers were sent into the other room and was ordered to stay there by Pinako.

Pinako and Winry had woken up by Alice's screaming and rushed downstairs to see how she was doing. They had arrived to see her current state and was mortified at how bad it had gotten. They too had found it scary that she started like this again. After she was done screaming they had gone back up to sleep like they had initially planned.

A knocking at the door had made Alphonse jump to his feet and rush to the door. Alphonse had no intent on making Alice wait to be treated. Alice was the whole reason Al had asked Amy to bring her medical kit in the first place. Alphonse had known that Amy was an amazing healer and had practiced in the Healing Arts of the Elements.

Alphonse opened the door to come face to face with his girlfriend that he hadn't seen in such a long time. Her big amber eyes became round with curiosity and confusion when Al had scooped her up in a giant hug before she could even say 'Hello.'

Amy laughed as her boyfriend pulled away. "Well, it's nice to see you too Alphonse," Amy said in the same sweet voice.

"Sorry," Al apologized, a tint pf pink setting on his cheeks. "I guess I got kind of anxious…"

Amy giggled again as she brushed her blue-black locks out of her face. "It's only natural when a boyfriend doesn't see his girlfriend for an entire month." She craned her neck as she tried to see behind Al. "And where is the eldest Elric…?"

Ed chuckled as he walked up to greet Amy from behind Al. "Hey, Ames. Haven't seen you in a while."

Amy nodded. "Neither have I…" her eyes widened as she looked Edward up and down. "You got taller, Ed!"

Ed grew an anger mark. "WHAT, YOU THINK I'D STILL BE A RUNT WHEN I'M EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD?" Ed shouted, as he waved a fist threateningly at the small girl. When Amy laughed, it only caused him to fume even more. "This isn't funny!"

Amy shook her head as she laughed again. "Of course it is! I've known you for over two years and you still haven't changed!"

Ed grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, whatever…" Ed muttered as he looked to the side stubbornly.

Amy giggled once more before shifting her attention to the younger Elric. "And you said you'd explain…" she trailed off, waiting for an answer.

"AHHHHHH!"

Amy's eyes widened in fear as she pushed by Alphonse and Edward and into the room where the piercing scream came from. Amy gasped in shock when she took in the scene before her. The young brunette that had once been sleeping soundlessly was thrashing and kicking on the couch. She let out another pain filled scream as she held onto her neck as a choking sound became evident.

"Hold on!" Amy shrieked as she stumbled towards Alice who was in pain. She quickly brought out chalk from her bag. She fumbled as she put her hand towards the choking girl who was fighting off whatever was choking her. Amy brushed Alice's bangs away as she scribbled a transmutation circle on her forehead and clapped her hands.

As Amy's clapping resounded in the small room, blue lights emerged from the transmutation circle on Alice's forehead. The blue sparks engulfed Alice's body as wind started to blow all around the room. Amy's hair whipped in the wind as she scrunched her eyebrows in concentration. Slowly, red sparks started to cackle from Alice's neck.

Edward had to strain his eyes to see what was happening. Quickly, the red sparks started to run around a certain spot on Alice's neck. The red lightning began to form in deathly black lightning as it flicked around. Ed's eyes widened in surprise when he found what was producing the black and red lightning.

A scar aligned on Alice's neck.

Alice's sapphire blue eyes snapped open as she brought her arm up and ripped away the black and red glob that started to form on her neck. Ed's ears popped as the sickening sound of nails on a chalk board resounded in the room. Ed and Al had to cover their ears in order for the horrible noise to be silenced as Alice threw it across the room and onto the wall.

The wind died down instantly as Alice fell down onto the couch with a loud bang. The dead black substance that had been thrown into the wall had begun to bounce around and screech. The screeching became louder as it flung forward and at the two girls who were on the floor. Amy screamed in terror as it started to proceed forward. Alice narrowed her eyes as she tackled Amy out of the way…

And clapped her hands.

Soon enough, sapphire sparks had flashed around Alice's hands and sapphire blue lightning pierced through the black blob. The screeching was halted as it fell to the ground and began to sizzle under the impact of electricity. It began to bubble and sizzle until it slowly started to melt, and it finally faded away into nothingness.

When Alice was sure that the dark blob was indeed dead, she sighed in relief. When Alphonse and Edward heard her sigh, they figured it was okay to uncover their ears. Ed slowly investigated where the dark blob used to be and found that nothing else remained except a small portion of dust.

"Amy!"

Ed was surprised to hear that it wasn't his younger brother shouting Amy's name. Ed looked back to see Alice shaking Amy roughly, trying to get her to wake up. He could see the worry and desperateness in her expression even if a red cloth showed nothing but her eyes. Alphonse sat crouched over Amy's form, the same expression of worry displaying on his face.

"Amy, wake up! Please! Open up your eyes!" Alice shrieked as she jerked the small girl awake. Amy was roughly shoved awake when Alice had shrieked her name out once more. Amy slowly blinked her amber eyes as she tried to awaken from her fainted state.

"H-Huh?" Amy asked softly as she looked all around. "Sister?"

A look of recognition and pain flashed through Alice's eyes. She looked down as she shadowed her eyes underneath her bangs. "No. It's not Sapphire Spark. It's me, Little Red."

Amy sat up quickly much to Alphonse's worry. "Easy, easy," Alphonse implored as he tried to set Amy into an upright position. "We don't want you to faint again."

"Little…Red?" Amy asked slowly, testing the words out as if it were like an old flame.

Amy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she slowly reached into her bag that laid abandoned by her side. She searched through it furiously as she had a look of concentration on her face. When she found what she was searching for, she darted her head back up. When she looked up, all she saw was Alice's back as she walked quickly out of the room.

Amy gasped slightly as she hopped onto her feet, much to Alphonse's dismay, and tried to run after the brunette. "Wait!" Amy called, something clutched in her hand tightly.

Alice stopped abruptly, making Amy bump into her and land roughly on her butt. Amy groaned in pain as she rubbed her sore bottom. "Thank you for dispelling the Dark Element from my body. Thanks to you, I am no longer sick and no longer under the Darkness spell." and with that, Alice walked out the door and outside.

Amy's eyes hardened a little as she scrunched her eyebrows in worry. She closed her eyes and then gripped whatever was in her hand tighter. "So your mind is really made up. I understand…" Amy said softly as a look of sadness spread over her face.

Al bent down to her side and helped her up. "Do you know her?" Al asked as he hoisted Amy up.

Amy turned her head to Alphonse as she stuffed the item she was holding in her pocket. She nodded a bit hesitantly. "Yeah, I know Little Red. She didn't give me her name, but she did tell me to call her by her mother's name: Alice," Amy said. "Me and Sister knew her a long time ago." Amy looked down, as if debating what she was going to say. "She was a very…distant girl. She was very similar to Sister in many ways. For one, she looked a lot like Erika that the everyone in Ashwell would confuse her and Sister all the time."

Ed rose an eyebrow. "Wait. You knew her when you guys were kids?" Ed asked.

Amy tensed up her shoulders as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Yeah…Well, sort of. When Sister was twelve, and me eleven, she moved into Ashwell," Amy said, looking down to the side. "She and Sister were…very close. Almost like twins." Amy laughed a bit at the end with a forced smile.

Ed stared at her with something that Amy couldn't decipher. With one look at Alphonse, they both nodded, having a silent agreement be made between them. Al put on a smile and turned to Amy, grabbing her hand and leading her somewhere.

"Well, now that Alice is all healed from her sickness all that's left is for me to explain why I called you up here," Al said, guiding her into a different room.

"Oh, o-okay…" Amy said, slightly baffled at the sudden change in demeanor. She started to slow down as she looked back at Ed who was putting on his red coat. "What about Edward?"

"Nah, I'm fine," Ed said, opening the door to outside. "I need to make sure Alice is okay. Her General will kill me if I leave her outside all alone."

Amy had a look of confusion wash over her face. "Oh…alright," she said quietly and jumped when Alphonse quickened his pace. "A-Alphonse! Slow down please."

Al looked back, the same played on smile on his lips. "Sorry, it's just that Winry wanted to see you," Alphonse said slyly, sending a quick wink in his brother's direction. "Here. Let's go upstairs."

Edward waited until the sound of footsteps faded away and that Amy's confused face was no longer seen. Ed waited a few seconds after the noise ceased just to be safe and then headed outside. The cold, crisp air quickly met with Ed's face. Ed breathed in deeply and released it, causing a cloud of fog to appear in front of his lips.

Ed looked all around, trying to find where Alice could possibly be. There was a lot more to her than she was letting on. She knew Amy, and she acted as if her whole world just broke in those few minutes Amy fainted. She was also very alarmed when Amy had thought she was her sister.

Maybe it could be…

Edward shook his head. _No, _he reminded himself. _She's in Creta with Casey. This can't possibly be her. _Ed walked further around the house, trying to find a possible place Alice would go. He looked all around the perimeter of the home, and didn't find her at all. Ed began to get a little worried. He remembered Percival Green telling him that the Aerugans might capture her if not watched properly. Maybe even kill her.

Edward found himself running towards the river. He didn't know why, it just felt like the place Alice would go. He ran all the way down the hill, towards the riverbed where he used to play as a child. Ed suddenly remembered that the river is where Erika had told him she liked to go when she was upset. She was a girl, and Alice and her are supposed to be very similar, so why not start there?

"_How can I repay you, brother of mine?  
><em>_How can I expect you to forgive?  
><em>_Clinging to the past,  
><em>_I shed your blood, and shattered your chance to live.  
><em>_Though I knew the laws, I paid no heed.  
><em>_How can I return your wasted breath?  
><em>_What I did not know has cost you dear,  
><em>_For there is no cure for death."_

Ed rose an eyebrow as he heard the sweet and serene voice. Ed didn't know anyone who sung like this. It seemed familiar somehow. Not only was the voice very familiar, but the lyrics to the song had made his stomach flip over.

"_Beautiful Mother,  
><em>_So soft and sweet, once you were gone  
><em>_We were not complete.  
><em>_Back through the years,  
><em>_We reached for you.  
><em>_Alas, twas not meant to be…"_

Ed's eyes widened as he realized what made his stomach flip over. It was the song. It was the voice. It was the meaning behind them. The song was playing his life story. It talked of what he had gone through, starting with the pain he felt each time he looked at his brother in a suit of armor. The way he felt as if he couldn't regain his brother's body. Then it moved onto where it all started. With his mother and how she died. They weren't complete when she died so they committed the great taboo to try and get her back. But they failed.

"_And how can I make amends from all that I took from you?  
><em>_I led you with hopeless dreams,  
><em>_My brother, I was a fool."_

Ed clenched his hand into a fist as that one verse was sung. It summed up everything that he had felt, and wanted to do. He did want to make amends from what he took from Alphonse, he did lead him with hopeless dreams, and he was a fool.

Ed couldn't take another moment listening to it because he knew what was going to come next. The next verse was going to be Alphonse replying back to what he had felt and that it wasn't his fault. He knew this song. And this song was his and his brother's. He was certain because a certain brunette gave the song to him as a farewell gift.

Ed walked forward, stopping the singing in her place. She stared at him, and he stared at her in return. She jumped once she saw his face and looked to the side quickly, leaning against the tree she was sitting by. Ed only chuckled at her reaction.

"I-I didn't know y-you were there…" she stammered, looking away.

"I didn't know you sang," Ed replied as he sat down by Alice who still refused to look at him. "I also didn't know that you were friends with the Evans sisters."

At that comment, Alice darted her eyes towards him, surprise displaying in her eyes. "I was friends with them?" she asked, as if asking the question herself. "Who told you that?"

"Amy did," Ed said. Alice flinched at the name. Ed stared at her. "There are a lot of things you aren't telling me. I want to know."

Alice's eyes hardened. She swallowed. "Why would you want to know?" she asked hesitantly.

Ed stared at her in confusion. "Why would I want to know?" Ed asked, surprised she would even ask. "Because you almost died in the living room and could die at any second because of this damned war!"

Alice clenched her fist. "…I-I still don't know why you're all of a sudden interested in my secrets," she replied, hesitant in every word she said. "A few days ago, you couldn't wait to get rid of me."

"Yeah, and that was before I knew you were sick," Ed said.

Alice narrowed her eyes. "Is that the only reason you have? Just because I was sick?" Alice asked, almost seeming hurt.

Ed stared at her in confusion. What did she want him to say? That everything's was going to okay? Nothing was going to be okay from here on out. "What do you want me to say?" Ed said, unintentionally voicing his thoughts.

Alice was taken back a bit at his question. She looked down, to the side, to the river. Anywhere but Ed's eyes. She finally settled on staring a the sparkling water in the river as she balled one of her hands into a fist, then released her grip. "I-I don't know…But…not that!" she said finally, not daring to look Ed in the eye.

Ed furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Why are you doing that?" he asked.

Alice turned to him confused. "Doing what?" she asked, confusion lacing her tone.

"That," Ed said. "You never look me in the eye."

Alice flinched at his words. She looked down, still not seeing his eyes. "I don't know what you're…"

"When I first met you, you looked as if you were unsure what to do. Like you couldn't do a thing," Ed continued. "When you were sick, you never let me by you. You always sent me away as if you were afraid if I saw you like that. You acted annoyed when I called you a Hot Head."

"Well, anyone would if they were called that…"

"You could move around the house as if you've been there a bunch of times. You called me a shrimp when I'm obviously taller than you," Ed listed off.

"Well, I, uh…"

"And the song." Alice froze in place. "There are only four people who know of that song. You're keeping something from us. Tell me."

Alice shook her head quickly as she quickly got up on her feet. "I don't have to tell you anything," she said quickly and started to walk off as quickly as she could without looking panicked. Both of her hands were clutched tightly in fists and her eyes were forced shut.

"Evans, wait up!"

Alice's eyes widened in surprise once Ed had caught her wrist, locking her in her steps. His words faded off into her mind, and all she heard were those words. She looked back slowly, and gasped softly in surprise when she saw Ed's face only a few inches away from hers.

"W-What did you just say?"

"Don't play stupid." Ed lifted the hand that wasn't holding the brunette in place and gingerly placed it on her cheek. Alice froze by the touch and stared at Edward in surprise. Ed smirked as he tore off the red cloth that was hiding the girl's face.

The red cloth flew off in the breeze, falling into the icy waters of the river. The brunette stared at him in surprise as she found her sapphire orbs locked with his golden ones. There was now nothing covering the girl's face and her identity was now known. Edward smirked again at the girl's flustered face.

"You are such a bad liar, Erika."

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><p><strong>BN: And there you go! Chapter 16, folks! How'd ya like it? I personally like this one. It was fun writing the end. ;)<strong>

**Anyway, now to some major news! ANIMEVAMP1997 HAS WON THE ONESHOT CONTEST! *blows up fireworks* Now, she has already told me a onehsot to write. I will post it separately from this story because i think you guys will like it all on its own. So, please look out for another story I post. I'm not quite sure waht to call it until I write it so just watch out for a new story under my name. I think you'll all LOVE this oneshot. Please look out for it!**

**I might post it within this week. But it will come soon.**

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	17. Irritation, and Familiarity

**TN: Sorry guys for not updating. I know I promised to update yesterday biut I got caught up in this math project. Sorry. Well, here's a chapter. I know it's kinda short. I'll make the next one longer.**

* * *

><p>Erika stared back at Edward in surprise. Her cheeks were touched with a tint of pink as she looked him in the eye for the first time ever since she became Little Red. His golden eyes were warm and full of life, the way she remembered them. From the corner of her eye she saw the red cloth she had worn for so long, even when she was sleeping, fall into the icy cold water.<p>

Erika saw Edward's smirk return to his lips as he stared at her. "You are such a bad liar, Erika."

At those words she was trying to get mad, but found that she couldn't. Instead, to her dismay, a big smile threatened to appear on her lips. She stopped her lips from grinning, but couldn't help the small smile show itself.

"So you remembered the song I gave you," Erika said, and her cheeks flushed at the sudden realization of what she just said. "and Alphonse," she added quickly before the eldest Elric got any ideas.

"The title was…" Ed trailed off, trying to figure out what it was.

Erika rolled her eyes. "Brothers," she stated.

"Oh…" Ed said, the title finally coming to him. He didn't understand why he couldn't figure out the name. He had read that song over and over again, occasionally singing it himself.

Erika looked down, finding something very interesting. She felt the heat rise to her face as she stared below. "Um…Ed?"

Ed looked at her, unsure of what was making her smile softly. "What?" Ed asked.

"Do you mind," Erika started and gestured downwards. "letting go of my hand?"

Ed jumped at her words and was just about to ask her what she was talking about. Then he followed her gesture and found heat rising to his cheeks quickly. He had completely forgotten that he had grabbed her hand, and now he was _still _holding her hand. Ed made a noise of embarrassment as he ripped his hand away from hers, causing a smirk to grace Erika's lips.

How long had he been holding her hand? Five, ten minutes? Fifteen? Edward shook his head. It was definitely not fifteen. It was around five. Edward stopped his outburst of nervousness as he heard a bell like laughter come from the brunette in front of him.

Ed glared in her direction, finding her laughing. "What's so funny?" he demanded, anger flushing his face.

Erika shook her head as she tried to conceal her laughter. "Oh, nothing, nothing…" Erika giggled once more and then turned around and started walking off. Ed followed after her, still fuming.

"I'm serious, what's so funny?" Ed asked, trying to match her pace. Training in the military has made her a fast walker.

Erika shook her head, still laughing softly. "Nothing," she repeated which made Ed fume even more.

"It is too something!" Ed said and continued. "Tell me!"

Erika rolled her eyes, amusement displaying on her face. "You! You're funny," Erika said simply, leaving a confused Edward in her tracks.

Ed stopped in his steps, trying to figure out what she meant. Ed persisted, following after her. "Funny ha-ha, or Funny like weird?" Ed asked.

Erika sighed dramatically as she shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe a little bit of both," Erika said as she continued up the hill.

"Maybe as -"

"Look. I need to go see Ames, Alphonse, Winry and all them. Could you please just let me have my reunion in peace?" Erika interrupted, finally annoyed by all of his questions.

"How about our reunion?" Ed asked.

Erika stopped in her tracks, a shade of red going over her face. Had he really just asked that? She thought that what had just undergone was their reunion. He had found her out, making her believe that they still considered each other partners. He had thrown away her red cloth that made her Little Red. She was Erika again.

Did Ed want something more than that?

Erika turned to him slowly, confused. "I thought we just had our reunion," she said, confusion displayed on her face.

Ed groaned in reply and pinched the bridge of his nose. Hadn't she gotten the hint? "There's something we always did. We skipped it this time because you didn't get mad," Ed said, trying to get Erika to remember.

"Because I didn't get mad…" she trailed off, getting more irritated at each passing second she didn't remember.

"God, you are such an Air Head!" Ed groaned as he started up the hill, leaving Erika in place. Ed smirked, but Erika couldn't see it because his back was turned.

"Hey! Don't you walk away from me!" Erika yelled as she ran back up to where Ed was walking. Ed wiped the smirk off his face as he tried not to look at her. Each passing second it was getting even funnier.

"Why shouldn't I walk away from you?" Ed asked casually as he continued up the hill.

Erika fumed as she glared in his direction. "Because….because…" she said, finding that she couldn't fight the right words.

"Because…?" Ed teased, making Erika fume even more.

"You know what I mean!" Erika said quickly, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "What did I forget?"

Ed choked back a laugh, as he stared at her. Each passing moment she seemed to get even more irritated. And to think, it was just because she couldn't remember! Ed looked away, if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to hold in his laughter.

"You know, for someone in the military you sure act like a girly girl," Ed remarked seeing his house in view. He began walking further, and found that Erika wasn't by his side anymore. Ed blinked as he slowed his pace, looking over his shoulder. He found Erika stopped in her tracks, her head bowed and…

Her hands clutched into fists.

"You….You…" she mumbled, trying to find the words.

Ed's eyes widened. He knew that he was trying to get her to remember this. He knew that he was teasing her to make this happen. Ed began to brace himself for the impact of what was going to ensue. He forgot how scary she was when she was mad.

She looked up, anger tracing her features. "YOU TROUBLE MAKING MIDGET!" she screamed, allowing it to echo throughout the small town of Risembool.

Ed covered his ears, protecting them from her screeching. "How the hell am I a trouble maker this time!" Ed yelled back.

"My red mask!" she yelled pointing towards the river. "You threw it in the river!"

Ed fell anime style as soon as the sentence was said. He recovered quickly and pointed an accusing finger at the brunette. "YOU'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT!"

Erika growled as she put her hands on her hips. "Not only that!" she looked down, bringing up her fist. Flames grew inside her sapphire orbs as she looked up, intending to hit Edward over the head. "I AM NOT IN THE LEAST BIT GIRLY!"

Ed nodded in agreement. "I agree! You barely act like a girl, how in the hell can you pull off a girly girl!"

Erika growled as she flailed her arms in irritation. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!" she yelled.

"You know exactly what it means, Air Head!" Ed retorted. Erika fumed.

"Shut up, you mini bean!"

"WHO YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE COULD RIDE ON THE BACK OF A FLEA?"

"Who else? YOU!"

"BREEZE WITCH!"

"SHORTY!"

"KLUTZ!"

"MICROSCOPIC PIPSQUEAK!"

"_HOT HEAD!"_

"_SHRIMP!"_

XoXoXoXoXoXoXo

"Shut up, you mini bean!"

"WHO YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE COULD RIDE ON THE BACK OF A FLEA?"

Amy Evans rose an eyebrow as she turned towards the door. All she heard was yelling. She couldn't quite catch the remnants of the voices, but she could make out what they were saying clearly. She pushed a lock of blue-black hair behind her ear as she walked towards the window. She could see Edward's back fairly well, but she couldn't see who was yelling at him.

After a few moments, she found it was a female voice. Amy shook her head. It could practically be anyone really. They must have called Ed short, and this was their consequence. Amy furrowed her eyebrows in puzzlement. There was something in the way the female voice shouted back at him that made Amy wary.

Alphonse came behind his girlfriend and looked out the window as well. He tried to see what was making that commotion, but he couldn't see post his older brother. "Amy, do you see anything?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't know who's yelling back," Amy replied. "Let's go check on him though. We can't just let him yell at the poor girl all day."

Al nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

When both of the younger siblings made it to the door, they opened it slightly.

"_HOT HEAD!"_

"_SHRIMP!" _

Both of their eyes widened. They both snapped their heads towards each other, both asking the same unsaid question. Al nodded as he threw open the door that separated them from seeing who it was.

They stared at what was before them in shock. They traced the figures over and over again, shocked. They saw a brunette with great sapphire blue eyes nose to nose with Edward. Edward and the brunette had a definite scowl on their faces, the look oh, so familiar. Both the blond and brunette held their glares, still fuming. Amy couldn't hold it in anymore, as the grin was starting to spread over her face. Alphonse too had missed this, his grin widening.

"SISTER!"

"BROTHER!"

Both teens snapped their heads in the directions of Amy and Alphonse, confusion tracing their features. Ed stared back at his younger brother, a look of recognition flying past his face. Erika's eyes softened in realization as she stared at her younger sister. Amy giggled.

"You two never change, do you?" Alphonse half scolded.

"Ah, well…." Erika tried to explain, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

Amy laughed as she waved the older girl in. "Welcome back, Sister!"

* * *

><p><strong>BN: Ah, I missed writing those arguments! :) Anyway, here is some comic relief in this story for now. Oh yeah. I'm workign on this oneshot (which i promised to post yesterday. Sorry for the inconvenience.) and I plan on posting it as quick as I can. I really do think that I'll finish it <em>this<em> week, but my friend's birthday is coming up, and my christmas program is in two days. And tomorrow I have choir practice, which I THINK will end early. I'm not sure. **

**And I also have to update my other story. -_-" **

**Dont' get me wrong, i love writing. But...I kind of have a big palte right now. So, if I can't post as quickly, I hope you understand.**

=:D


	18. New Revelations

"Welcome back indeed."

Erika flinched at the voice as she whirled around, eyes wide, and hands slightly trembling. Her mouth gaped open and it took a few moments to register the an at first glance. She stared at him. Long hair brought into a ponytail. A hat covering his head and a white suit over his body. The snake-like smile and eyes, while a sly demeanor set out in front of her. She jumped when she realized she wasn't doing anything. She snapped her arm up in a salute, her eyes set in a scowl.

"State Alchemist Solf J. Kimblee," she addressed, eyes monitoring his every move. "This is temporarily my territory. What's your business here?" she asked curtly, her expression stone cold as she could muster.

"My apologies," Kimblee started, bringing his hat down and placed it on his chest. He bowed, showing a certain respect that seemed sarcastic in Edward's eyes. "Assisting Captain and State Alchemist of District 56. I apologize for not showing my respect, Little Red," he said, mockingly on the account Erika growled. He stood up and chuckled. "At ease. I was only kidding."

Erika rolled her eyes and dropped her salute, making sure not to drop her suspicious exterior. "Where's General Green?" she asked, eying how he stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Relax," he said with a shrug. "He's at HQ, submitting his report." Erika let her eyes soften some at the new information. "I came here for your report, Soldier Evans."

Erika's cheeks flushed slightly at the realization. She clenched her hands into fists as she looked down quickly. "I'm afraid it's not quite finished," she replied uneasily. "I've got another hundred men to file in."

"You're such a perfectionist," he sighed. She shot him a glare. "You're already far in the good names book, Sapphire Spark. No need to kiss their asses at this point."

"I'm not kissing their ass!" Erika yelled, cheeks flushed red in anger. "From the very beginning I was just doing my job; unlike some lazy bozos in the Districts."

"See? This is why they don't like you," Kimblee remarked, ignoring her narrowed eyes. "You try too hard, and you're making the older guys in the military look bad." Kimblee placed his hat back on his head. "All Cretans basically look the same; their government system not to keen on ranks. You've already finished the deaths and wounded, am I correct?"

Erika nodded reluctantly.

Kimblee rolled his shoulders irritably as he narrowed his eyes. "You didn't kill a single one, did you?" Silence. "Well?" Kimblee asked again, eyeing Erika's moves.

Erika looked down at her feet, her hands clenched tightly in fists. Confliction arose on her face, and for the first time, tears began to prick at her sapphire eyes. Her bangs began to cover her eyes, and she couldn't muster the spirit to reply. Kimblee stared at her in a mixture of disappointment, and disgust.

Kimblee turned around, the wind ruffling his suit. "So, I'm assuming the Cretans got away."

Erika just hid her eyes.

Kimblee began to walk forward, his footprints left imprinted in the snow. He stopped abruptly. "I was expecting more of you, Sapphire Spark. If you keep on allowing the enemy to get away, they'll come back in more numbers. They'll know what to expect from you. They'll anticipate your moves, know your weaknesses, and what you're good at." Kimblee shook his head. "Don't think that you could go and fix a war. If you do, you'll end up dead. Here's a piece of advice: Don't leave a single one of them left. Eliminate all before they eliminate you."

And with those words, Kimblee started walking. Ed glanced at Erika, seeing the devastation on her face. She looked down, allowing her bangs to cover her sapphire orbs. She held both hands tightly in fists, and her body trembled in what could have been sobs. Ed tried to search her face for any tears, but she had masked herself behind her hair that was left down.

Seeing Kimblee's leaving form angered Ed. He had deliberately made Erika feel awful, and just left as if no one's business. Ed glanced once more back at Erika to find her with a salute, her face twisted in an emotion Ed couldn't quite pick out. He clenched his fists tightly, and started walking towards where Kimblee was.

"Hey!" Ed called, anger displaying on his face.

Kimblee just looked over his shoulder, a bored expression on his face. "What is it?" he snapped lazily.

Ed fumed at his tone. "I don't know what the hell you're expecting to see from Evans, or wanting her to do, but how about shutting the hell up about it?" Ed retorted, making Erika's head bob straight up. Her jaw dropped at what Ed was doing.

Kimblee just rose an eyebrow. "What?"

Ed growled, narrowing his eyes. "I know you heard me," Ed hissed. "Erika's been out busting her ass for your stupid war. Do you even know what happened out there? She went out and did one of the biggest transmutations I have ever seen, electrifying the entire Cretan army in just ten seconds."

Kimblee's eyes widened, but Ed continued. "She left their uniforms in shreds, their skin fried, and their limbs unusable. They all retreated in a hurry and even then they couldn't because of the shape they were in. So don't let me even hear you mumbling that she's been inadequate. From all that I've seen, she's done the most damage in this entire freaking war."

Kimblee stared at him speechless. His eyes were wide with surprise and his mouth dropped open a little bit. Amy stared at Ed with a huge smile on her face, unable to hold in her giggles. She clamped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to silence her laughs. Erika stared at him with her eyes wide with amusement and she suppressed the urge to smile, and bit her lip instead. Al shook his head, smiling.

"Way to go, Brother," Al silently cheered, eying how this situation would turn out.

Kimblee stared at Ed with an unreadable emotion. His eyes were set in anger, and his lips were set in a straight line, allowing anger to over take his expression. He eventually gave in and allowed a smirk to grace his lips.

He chuckled as he tipped his hat out to Ed. "Wow, kid. You've got some balls to say that to my face. I applaud you," Kimblee said, a smirk planted on his face. He then turned around, and began walking. His words were pointed at Erika. "I've seemed to misjudged you, Sapphire Spark." Erika's face brightened. "I'll be coming back for that report of yours. Then you're coming with me to HQ. We've got some..._issues _to discuss with you."

And with that, he left.

Erika dropped her salute as she let out the breath she wasn't aware she was holding. She clutched her chest in an effort to make her heart rate slow down. "He scares the crap outta me sometimes..." Erika mumbled, wiping the sweat off her forehead. She stood up straight, an ironic smile set on her face. "I was sure he was going to strip me of my rank and bump me down to a simple parole officer."

Amy walked up to her sister and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Aren't you a little nervous? He said that they had issues to discuss with you. Doesn't that usually mean bad things?" Amy asked.

Erika shook her head to reassure her little sister. "Don't worry, Ames...I'm sure it's nothing," Erika said reassuringly, patting Amy on the back. She couldn't help the doubt that seeped into her words, but then brushed it off. She turned to Ed, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Ed."

Ed flinched when he heard her. He turned to her with a confused expression on his face. "Hm?" he asked.

Erika rolled her eyes. "I said thank you. No one ever stood up for me like that," Erika said.

Al rose an eyebrow. "No one? You've got to be joking," Al said.

Erika thought for a while, then shook her head. "No...I'm not joking," Erika said rather casually.

Ed stared at her for a while. "So, you mean to tell me that _no one _had a heart to stand up for you?" Ed asked, rather skeptical.

Erika rolled her eyes as the corner of her mouth lifted up in some sort of half smile. "Basically." Upon seeing the looks she was given, she waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it's not as bad as it sounds. Since I'm at an abnormally high rank for my age, I tend to get into fights with people at my ranking. That, or they just plain don't like me. No one can help me, or else they'd get fired because they're a lower rank. Some poor guy stood up for me when some Major started treating me unfairly."

"What happened to him?" Amy ventured.

"Turned out the guy was a State Alchemist. He alchemically plastered him to the ceiling," Erika replied, not noticing the look of horror that was on her little sister's face. She started walking towards the house, completely unaffected at the meeting earlier today. She opened the door, then looked over her shoulder. "Well? I know you're going to question me, so might as well be someplace comfortable."

Ed, Al, and Amy all turned to look at each other. She sounded like Erika, her manners were like Erika, and she definitely acted like her. But for some odd reason, they realized she was much different. The three decided to take her up on her offer, and walked up the steps into the Rockbell home.

As they stepped in, they found Erika and the five Darrell brothers surrounding her on the couch. Ed flinched as he met their eyes. They were dangerously protective, and the way they were positioned, it seemed as though they were blocking her like a pack of dogs. Scanning the scene, Sebastian and Dario were in wheelchairs, Gerald and John were using crutches to support themselves, and Castro had an arm in a sling. For the state they were in, they looked in the tiniest bit intimidating.

The slight intimidation melted however when they caught sight of Amy. Dario's eyes brightened as well as the faces of the soldiers. "Well, if it isn't little Amy!" Dario said, as if knowing her personally. "How're you doing, squirt?"

Amy's cheeks flushed when they mentioned her name. "U-Um...I'm sorry, but...well...who are you five?" Amy asked timidly, making sure to hide behind Alphonse the slightest.

Laughter erupted from the group as they slapped their knees in amusement. "Well, isn't she a polite one?" Gerald said, laughter still in his tone. He glanced at Erika. "It's almost polar opposites."

At this, Erika's cheeks reddened. She growled as an anger mark appeared near her head. "Soldier Sebastian..." she said, dangerously quiet. He flinched at her tone of voice, as did the others. She snapped her head up, swinging down a fist onto his skull. He let out a yelp of pain as he cradled his head in pain. The others watched him in sympathy.

Erika turned to the other soldiers. "Any more comments, soldiers?" Erika asked curtly, a fist clenched threateningly. They all shook their heads quickly, their faces lined with a certain fear. Erika let out a huge sigh, then proceeded to lean back in the couch.

Silence filled the room, and Castro decided to speak up. He cleared his throat, gaining all attention towards him. "Excuse me, Miss Amy."

Amy turned to him.

"Don't be alarmed. It's just that we've heard a lot about you from Sapphire Spark," Castro replied to her unanswered question. Amy nodded to show that she understood. Castro glanced back to Erika, hoping she would take charge now.

Erika didn't see him. She looked around. "Hey, where's Winry and Miss Pinako?" Erika asked, craning her neck to search any of the hallways. Ed shrugged. Al shook his head and answered her.

"They went to go to the market," Al replied, earning a nod from Amy.

"Yeah, they said they'll be back around one," Amy added.

Erika nodded and glanced at the clock to find it roughly on 12:30. "Okay, then." She then stretched her arms over her head. "Alright then. Go ahead and ask away."

Al rose an eyebrow while Amy looked at her curiously. What did she mean by that? Al and Amy had forgotten. Ed shrugged indifferently. He walked up to the soldiers and sat right in front of them, making sure he kept his distance all the same. He knew the possible blow up at his question. He went straight to the point.

_"What the hell are you still doing in the military?" _Ed asked, his voice low and serious.

The room fell silent, no one moved. All heads turned to Erika, their eyes wide with curiosity as to how she would react. Erika's eyes widened, but that was the extent to her emotions on her face. She knew fairly well that question was going to pop up, but she hadn't expected it to come so early. She opened her mouth as to reply, but Ed interrupted before she could say anything.

"And don't give me that 'I'm trying to find a way to get rid of the Eyes of the Soul' crap you're giving everyone else. If you'd truly been finding a way to get rid of it, you wouldn't be in the position you are now," Ed said, his eyes narrowing. "I want the truth."

Erika closed her mouth as quickly as it had opened. That was now gone. Erika sighed, thoroughly rubbing her sore hands which had been clenched into fists for the longest time. She hadn't even realized she was making them into fists until now. Erika ran over the possible things to say. She hated lying to Edward, she really did. But to keep him from doing something reckless, she needed to.

"That is the truth," Erika said hesitantly. "Why else would I-"

"Cut the crap, Erika!" Ed shouted, much to her surprise. "You don't think I know you're lying? There's a goddamn war out there! And you're in it. I want the truth. _Now."_

"Please Sister."

Erika looked up to find Amy on the verge of tears. Her eyes softened when she saw it. "We're begging you," Amy continued. "This is dangerous. You can be hurt- worse-maybe killed! I already lost Dad in a war, I don't want to lose you too."

"Oh Ames..."

"Erika, just listen to us," Al started. Erika looked up. "We're worried sick. Me and Brother saw how gruesome the war is, it took fifty men just to cover the blood on the snow. When we saw you get delusional when you had the fever, it _scared _us. Even if we didn't know it was you back there, the fear was just the same," Al said. "There's a lot of people who we know have been taken from war. We just want to help."

Erika furrowed her eyebrows. "But I don't _want _you to help," Erika conceded. They looked at her. "Don't you think I know that? There are so many people I can list off in which I know whose lives been taken from war. I know the dangers, I really do." She looked up, her eyes twisted in sorrow. "I don't want you to help because that might be the fate I condemn you to."

The three stayed silent, not knowing what to do. Even the Darrell brothers knew the significance between this conversation. At first they wanted to be there just in case they could offer any information on the war or the military. Dario shook his head and started wheeling his chair out of the room. The rest watched him as he went in silence. They looked down at the meaning and began to follow after him, in the best silence they could.

Castro stared at Erika in an unreadable emotion. He walked towards her, gaining her attention. He smiled warmly as he placed his hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him. He only offered a small squeeze of her shoulder, trying to send a message through his eyes.

"It's okay to tell people," Castro said quietly, and then started off to where his brothers were. Erika watched him go in silence.

She looked down at her hands, seeing how tightly they held each other. She slowly looked up, seeing the distressed faces of her friends. She looked them over, one by one. Amy's tear filled eyes. Alphonse's clenched fists. She then took it upon herself to see Ed. His golden eyes were filled with worry and strain, and some anger that he couldn't help but show. Erika closed her eyes, contemplating the fate she'll drag her friends into.

"I'm sorry," Erika said softly, knowing the reactions she'll get. "But...There's something I have to do. Right at this moment, there are hundreds- thousands - of people dying. So many I have seen with my own eyes die right in front of me. Their screams of terror I would never forget.

"Believe me, if I could throw away my license right now I would send them the letters. But I know if I do, _more _will die," Erika said forcefully, trying to get the words out of her mouth without crying. "...They sometimes order us to kill of multiple civilians, just to get our point across. I've luckily never been ordered to do that. I just want it all to end..."

Erika placed her hand on her forehead out of frustration. "...So, I will end it. I've made a vow, a vow I can't back down from. _I need to stop this war." _Erika closed her eyes, allowing her friends to stare at her in shock. "All to what I've been doing up to now has been allowing as many people as I can to survive. If that means to wound them so they don't come back to war, then so be it.

"The people at base think I'm crazy to try and stop this war. They find my feeble attempts at trying to make peace is childish. They say the only way out of war is bloodshed until one dies off completely or they surrender." Erika shook her head ruefully. "But I'm determined to stop this war even if it means...doing things I'm not proud of."

Erika finally found the will to look up. Their expressions were what she expected. They were shocked, sorrowful. Amy finally allowed her tears to fall, hugging Alphonse for comfort. Al embraced her tightly, looking down at his feet. The thing that bothered Erika was Edward's reaction. He just sat there, staring at her with his golden eyes burning with something she couldn't figure out. She stared at him for a while, and then he broke off his gaze, standing up.

He stood for a while, then turned to her. "So, that's what you really plan to do?" Ed asked, his tone somehow mysterious.

Erika nodded, then shook her head. "Yes, I mean, no. But, yes, no..." She then sighed, giving up. "Yes. I plan on stopping the war." She mentally scowled. Ed could always put her mind off track.

Ed nodded simply. "I see." He began walking off, without another word. Erika's eyes widened. She stood up, her hand outstretched to catch him before he left. She was about to follow him, and then she heard how hard he slammed the door shut when he left. She sat back down, silent.

She sat in silence, her words playing off in her head. It was so simple, so why did it hurt her so much to say it? She thought Amy's reaction would hurt her the most. But in fact, it wasn't. She cursed silently in her head of how attached she had become to the blond. This would not do.

Amy burst into tears, and ran towards her sister. She collapsed her sorrow into Erika's shoulder, now hugging her tightly. Amy knew exactly what Erika meant by 'doing things she wasn't proud of.' She wasn't prepared for her sister now leaving her. She had already dealt with losing all her family. She couldn't afford to lose her sister too. Amy didn't dare say anything behind the meanings of those words. Erika had already told her her plans beforehand, but now it was even more heart breaking.

Erika hugged Amy tightly, feeling the sobs that racked through her little sister's body. Erika furrowed her eyebrows in frustration. Why is it that Amy's reaction isn't the one that hurt her the most?

XoXoXo

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, DOING THINGS YOU'RE NOT PROUD OF?"

_*CLONK!*_

"OW!" Erika cried in pain, and cradled her sore head. She looked at her with her eyes mixed with annoyance and fear all the same. "You just realize that I'm Erika, yet you throw a wrench at my head! What the hell!"

Winry fumed, her sky blue eyes filled with anger. "IT STILL DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT AN IDIOT!" She shouted.

Al shook his head as Amy couldn't help but giggle. Amy was fully recovered from her crying state, but she was still sad. She wiped at a stray tear off her cheek and took a sip of the newly brewed tea. She scanned the room to see no signs of Edward returning. She sighed and continued drinking her tea.

"Hey, Alphonse?" Amy asked.

Al looked up. "Hm?"

"Do you mind looking where Edward might have gone? It's been almost an hour and he hasn't returned," Amy said, looking to where he left last. "He seemed really upset."

Al nodded. "Alright, Ames. I'll go look." Amy smiled and went into the front room.

Al sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. Where could he have gone? There was a good chance of him still being outside, after all, he did leave through the backdoor. Or he could be inside their room. eh always seems to go there when he was upset. Al nodded. He vaguely remembers hearing the door closing and opening. That could have been when he got back in.

Al decided to check the room, and he started upstairs. When he reached the top, he found his bedroom door closed. Al rose an eyebrow. He was almost certain that he had left it open this morning. Al walked over to the closed door, and pressed his ear up against it. On the other side were noises of commotion, and small curse words scattered around. The curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the door.

"Brother...?" Al asked, and the door opened completely, showing someone hunched over the bed, stacking something. The person turned his head towards the door. His blond hair was now in a braid, his golden eyes wide with surprise.

"Hey Al," Ed said, blinking his eyes. "Weren't you downstairs?"

"I was," Al said, walking into the room and closing the door behind himself. "But Ames and I haven't seen you around, so I was checking if you were in here."

Ed nodded, and continued doing whatever he was doing. Al rose an eyebrow. He peered over his older brother's shoulder, finding a suit case almost filled with clothes and necessities. "Um..what are you doing, brother?" Al asked, albeit a little confused.

Ed huffed as he scowled. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm packing," Ed replied, somewhat annoyed. He stuffed some more clothes in the worn out case, and began smoothing it out where clothes peaked out the corners. "Thinks she can stop a war all by herself...the idiot."

Al rose an eyebrow at the action. "Are you talking about Erika?" Al asked, seating himself on his bed that was across from his brother's.

Ed stood up straight, his eyes narrowing. "No duh! What other idiot would have the stupid idea of ending a war?" Ed growled, crossing his arms over his chest. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his State Alchemist pocket watch dangling from a hook.

Al shook his head, softly chuckling. "Stupid idea? Face it brother. You would have thought of that same thing if you were still in the military," Al said.

"Exactly why she's an idiot!" Ed stopped himself as he let the words materialize in his head. He scowled once he realized what he just said. "Not funny, Al!"

Al laughed. "Hey, you were the one who said it, not me," Al countered, crossing his ankles. "So, why are you packing?"

Ed growled in annoyance as he closed the suit case, locking it with its hinges. "What does it look like? I'm going to Central HQ."

Alphonse shook his head, smiling ironically. "You know once she finds out what you're doing, she'll just hit you over the head. Are you aiming to make her mad?" Al asked, watching as his brother fixed his red coat. "She just doesn't want you getting hurt, brother. For once could you listen to her?"

"No way!" Ed immediately responded, staring at the worn leather on his suit case. He ran his hand over it, remembering all the times he had traveled with his brother, looking for a way to restore their bodies. "She can't handle this alone, Al. She may be strong, but I still think this is too much for her."

"So what are you planning on doing?" Al asked, standing up now.

"I'm going to join the military again."

* * *

><p><strong>BN: And there you go folks! Chapter 18! You didn't think that I'll just let Ed laze off somewhere while Erika was in the military did ya? ;)<strong>

**Anyway...I am so SEVERELY sorry that it came out this late. I honestly had no idea what I was thinking. I thought i'd upload more, with all the winter break thing. **

**The reason being I'm just a victim of writer's block. T-T Honestly, if you were here while I was on Writer's Block Syndrome, you would have heard me scream: "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME? WHAT THE FLIP AM I DOING?" No. Seriously. Just ask my mom. -_-" She thought i was dying...**

**Anyway, another thing i was prolonging was because I forced myself to upload this one story, no matter how much writer's block I had. Which reminds me...I got a bit of EdXErika and AlXAmy oneshot for you guys to read if you want. It's called _The Forbidden Element: Amy's Birthday._ You can read it if you want, but you don't have to.**

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	19. The Road to Central

**TN: Sorry for the delay, everyone! Writer's Block, birthday parties, my little sister being born...A lot just happened this January. Sorry.**

* * *

><p>Edward sighed heavily when he reached the living room. There in the middle of the room was Erika at the table. She had arranged the table so it was actively organized: the finished paperwork in a proper pile on the right. The unfinished ones in the middle. And the trash sitting on the left hand corner. It worried Ed on how long she had been working, but seeing the unfinished pile close to nothing helped some.<p>

Erika's head was down, and her nose was stuck in a military file journal. Ed could tell that she was working extra hard, the way she wrote quickly, not bothering to look over the neatness of her work. Also the fact that she was fully dressed, her hair in a neat compiled pile held by a clip. It didn't leave Edward's notice that it was the way Lieutenant Hawkeye kept her long hair.

Erika didn't notice his presence. In fact, it seemed that she didn't notice anyone's presence who had come into the room. Before he had arrived, he saw Amy leaving the room with a sigh and a shaking of her head. In the corner of Ed's eye he saw a glimpse of Erika pausing to fix the finished pile in order of date.

Ed couldn't help the fact that he would eventually be pulled into this when he reached Central. Yesterday before he went to bed, he saw Alphonse packing up his suitcase. Ed couldn't help the fact that his eyes were wide with surprise as soon as he saw his little brother packing. As Alphonse turned around he immediately declared that he was coming with him to the trip to Central. '_You don't think that I was going to let you go alone, did you?' _was what he had said. Ed didn't let himself show it, but he was actually grateful to have a traveling companion with him, nonetheless, his little brother with him.

"Are you okay?"

Ed was brought out of his thoughts as he heard the question. He tried his best to keep his expression as emotionless as he could, but the way he flinched didn't help him much. He looked toward the direction the voice came from, to find Erika's sapphire eyes locked on him. When he found that it was Erika that had spoken made his eyes widen the smallest bit.

"Huh?" Ed asked as he saw the hopeful glint in her eyes. "Am I okay?"

Erika nodded, somewhat guiltily. "When I told you about my…situation you seemed mad," Erika offered to jog Ed's memory.

Ed blinked his eyes as he began to register the information. Yes, he was pretty angry. But he wasn't angry at Erika. He was actually angry at the military. If only they had been better at handling things, Erika wouldn't need to stop this war. Ed shook his head free of any thoughts pertaining to the topic in order to answer her question.

"No, I'm fine," Ed tried to reassure her. She looked up. "I wasn't mad."

Erika rose an eyebrow at this as if to say, 'You're lying. You WERE mad.'

Ed sweat dropped. "Okay, I'm lying. I was mad."

Erika crossed her arms over her chest. "That's what I thought," she said. Then her eyes softened. "I'm sorry if I made you mad or something, but -"

"No, it wasn't you," Ed cut her off, making her eyes widen. He sighed heavily, and felt his cheeks heat up at the mention. He turned his head to the side, making sure to not catch Erika's eyes. "I wasn't mad at you," he repeated. "I was pissed at the military. If they were just more careful, or maybe if they weren't so stupid…" Ed felt his cheeks heat up even more. "You wouldn't have to put your life in danger just to stop this war."

Erika's eyes widened as he finished his sentence. His cheeks were blown over by crimson and he had refused to look her in the eye. Erika chuckled as she shook her head. _Even if he's too stubborn to admit it, he was worried about me_. Erika thought, smiling softly. She looked down and signed off her last sheet of paperwork. After that, she arranged all of her finished paperwork and put it in a file.

She tucked the file under her arm and stood up. Ed was still stubborn as to looking at her, so his head was still turned away from her. She walked over to him, a small smile still on her face. A bright blush decided to appear itself on her cheeks, but she paid no mind. She gently lifted her hand and flicked the bridge of Ed's nose.

Ed's head tilted backwards slightly as she did so, but then he glared at her as he locked eyes. "What was that for?" Ed snapped.

Erika only giggled. "Idiot." She then walked away with a bright smile on her face. "If you were worried, you could have just said so." And with that, she glided up the stairs.

At this mention, Ed's cheeks heated up again. "I was not worried!" he shouted back defensively, but all he got in return was her laughter. This made him fume even more, and he huffed as he crossed his arms over the chest. _I was not worried about Evans! _Ed thought hotly, still annoyed.

XoXo…. Later ….XoXo

Erika stuffed the bulging file into her bag and then fixed her coat. The winter air blew through the town and snow still covered the ground. She bent down and made sure to tie her military boots tightly, and after that kept her hair in the 'Hawkeye style.' She stood again and sighed deeply.

"Do you have to leave so soon?" Amy asked, a pleading look in her eyes.

Erika closed her eyes as she nodded. "I already told you Ames," she said. "Kimblee instructed troops to come and pick me up. I've got to go."

Amy let out a sigh. "But I haven't seen you in months, and I've only spent this one week with you. Can't I come -"

"Absolutely, positively not," Erika interrupted hotly, sending her little sister a glare. "I've already discussed this with you. If I'm put on the front lines, I don't want you getting caught up in it." She huffed as she bent down and adjusted her pants so that they were tucked inside of her military boots.

Amy heaved an irritated sigh as her cheeks flushed crimson, like they normally do when she's angry. "I'm not useless! I know how to take care of myself, Sister!" Amy half yelled, trying to persuade Erika in any way. As a last measure, she pulled up her sleeve showing the transmutation circle engraved on her bracelet for performing Air in the Arts of the Elements.

Erika glanced once at it, and her eyes narrowed. "I said no!" Erika repeated, her voice raising slightly. "You know how to deal with _minor _battles. You don't know how to handle war."

"I have this bracelet as proof that I'm more than capable to take care of some fighting," Amy said hotly, pointing at the bracelet once more. "I trained under Casey too!"

"Casey didn't teach you everything," Erika said quickly, making Amy's eyes widen in shock. "It was _me _that got the extra training. _I'm_ the one with the Eyes of the Soul. _I'm_ the one with military training. _I'm_ the one with State Alchemist certification!" Erika nearly yelled.

Amy's eyes saddened as the facts added up. It was true. Erika was the one with more training. When they were training with Casey, it was Erika that Casey gave the more rigorous lessons. About five times a day Casey and Erika had sparred, and if Erika hadn't met up to expectations, Casey had to make the decision to not allow her a specific meal depending on the time of day. If it was near evening and she wasn't efficient, Casey had taken away dinner from her, and so on and so forth.

Amy glanced up quickly, seeing Erika's head turned to the side and her arms were crossed over her chest. Amy's eyes softened. She knew that Erika was only doing this to protect her, and make sure that she was safe. It just bothered her that she wasn't able to help when Erika had done so much for her already. Erika was the one always saving her. It was never the other way around. Whether or not Erika might die, she always put Amy in front of her needs. If Erika was hungry, she'd give Amy the last of the food. If they were both hurt, even if Erika was in worse condition, she'd take care of Amy until she was fully healed. A lump grew in Amy's throat as she figured that she was just a burden to her sister.

Amy sighed, and gave in. She ran forward, encasing Erika in a huge bear hug. Erika was softly pushed backwards upon the impact that Amy had hugged. Erika stayed motionless for a while without embracing her completely. Rather she was just standing there.

Amy hugged her tighter. "Just be careful. I don't want to lose you too," Amy reminded her once again, not daring to look up at her sister's face. She already knew the reaction she'd get. Wide eyes and a shocked expression.

Erika blinked her eyes to register the information. She then sighed and wrapped her arms around Amy's torso, one hand patting her head. "Sorry, Ames. I'm just a little worried for your safety," Erika said softly, resting her cheek on Amy's head.

Amy smiled. "I know, I know," was her reply. She looked up slightly, her eyes brimming with small tears. At the last moment, she blinked them away, making sure to remain strong. She didn't want the last image of herself for Erika to be her crying. She looked over Erika's shoulder, finding two military officers walking towards them. Amy sighed deeply. She didn't want her sister to leave just yet.

"Sapphire Spark," one of the soldiers remarked in a deep voice. Erika's head bobbed up at the mention of her title. "It is time to go to Central. Kimblee instructed us to escort you there."

"Yes, officers," Erika said curtly. She leaned down so she could whisper in Amy's ear. "I have to go now, Ames."

Amy nodded grimly and then moved her lips to Erika's ear. "Be careful out there, Sister," Amy whispered and then let go reluctantly. When she let go she came face to face with a grinning brunette.

"Aren't I always?" Erika asked happily.

"No. That's why I'm concerned."

At this comment, Erika frowned, glaring at her younger sister. She rolled her eyes as she saw Amy smiling. She turned around on heel, raising her hand as some sort of wave. "See ya, Ames. I'll make sure to write."

"I know you will," Amy replied brightly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Make sure to get a lot of rest though, Sister."

"Can't say that I can promise that, with all the paperwork Mustang gives me to do," Erika said with the sound of a scowl. Amy chuckled. "But I can say that I'll make sure to check in on you every now and then. So be prepared for a phone call."

Amy nodded. "I know you will," Amy repeated, sending a small wave. "Good luck!"

Erika nodded, and then began to walk toward the tow military officers. "Are you the ones I should I give my report to?" she asked, walking in the middle of them as they proceeded toward the train.

One officer shook his head. "No accurate. State Alchemist Kimblee wants you to hand the report to him personally."

"Well, that's just lovely."

XoXo… At the Rockbell Home …XoXo

Amy sighed as she opened the door of the Rockbell home. Seeing Erika walk off with two military officers seemed like she was getting arrested or something. Amy smiled a little about this. Erika, a detective's daughter, being arrested? That's irony.

"Amy?"

Amy turned to the voice, finding Winry and the Darrell brothers inside the living room. Winry had just got done fixing Castro some automail, and her eyes were wide upon seeing Amy alone. Then her eyes softened figuring out what that meant. "Erika left again, didn't she?" Winry asked solemnly.

Amy nodded feebly, rubbing he back of her head and an embarrassed smile on her face. "Erika can't seem to stay put this time, huh? First of all she goes missing, then she leaves again for the military, and now she's leaving again," Amy listed off, a light blush on her cheeks.

Winry scowled as she tightened bolts on Castro's automail arm. "She just can't stay put! We were worried sick about her for the war, and now she's going back to it!" Winry tightened another bolt tighter than ever, making Castro yelp out in pain. "Edward had to go and force his habits of leaving onto Erika. I'm sorry, Amy."

Amy shook her head. "No, it's quite alright!" Amy assured, looking down at her feet. "Dad had to leave a lot like this too when I was little. He was a detective, and they had him running all over the place to solve crimes."

Dario and Sebastian jumped at this. "You mean Detective Specialist Evans? He's a legend!" Dario and Sebastian said in unison. Gerald laughed.

"Don't mind them, Amy," Gerald said. "These two are fan boys."

John nodded in agreement. "Get them talking, and they don't stop," John murmured.

Castro laughed weakly. "Go easy on them, you two. They're just a bit fanatic," Castro said gently.

"A little? I'll tell you what's little! A Desert Eagle on only two shots!" John said.

Dario chuckled. "That's just because you're a bad shot, John." Everyone burst into laughter. "Hey! Shut up!" John yelled in defense.

Amy shook her head as she watched the five brothers go at it. They seemed like they'll never change. Amy smiled happily and then scampered up the stairs, wanting to inform the two Elric brothers of Erika's departure. When she reached the top of the stairs, she started toward the left where the brothers' room was. Upon reaching the door, she raised her hand to knock.

"Think I should take my State Alchemist pocket watch?"

"I don't know, Brother. If you think the Colonel's going to make you redo the State Alchemist Exam, then don't take it."

"I think he won't. Besides, if Colonel Bastard does try to make me retake it, I can always blackmail him."

Amy rose an eyebrow as she overheard the conversation held between the two brothers. She knew she probably shouldn't listen in, but the conversation seemed to hold a big significance that she couldn't help but eavesdrop on them. _I'll make it up to them later. _Amy promised herself as she pressed her ear against the door.

XoXo… the Elrics …XoXo

Edward sighed heavily as he ran his hand through his bangs. "Think we're all set?" Ed asked his younger brother, checking for the second time.

Alphonse clicked his suit case closed and then turned to his brother with a smile on his face. "Ready as we ever will be," Al said cheerfully and then stood up straight. "Are you sure this is such a good idea? I mean, Erika will just get mad if she finds out what you're doing…"

"And let her be mad. I'm still doing it," Ed replied hotly, slipping his arms through his red coat. "She can't handle this alone, Al. She may say she's fine, but I just know that she isn't. War isn't something that Evans can deal with."

Al sighed. "I see where you're coming from, but is joining the military again completely necessary?"

"WHAT?" a female voice shouted, thrashing the door open. The door gave out instantly, the door banging on the wall loudly in the process. Her breath was short, her amber eyes flaring. Her fists were tightly clenched and her face was flushed with surprise. Al and Ed's eyes grew large.

"Amy!" both brothers responded.

Al's face paled. What was he going to do? She had just heard their plan! "Uh…Hi, Ames. I thought you were going to see Erika off," Al said nervously.

Amy glared. "I already did," Amy said offhandedly. "Now, what was that about joining the military again?" Amy demanded.

Al flinched. "I don't know what you're talking about…."

"Cut the lies, Alphonse!" Amy yelled. "I know what I heard, and plus you're a horrible liar when it comes to me!" Amy crossed her arms over her chest. "I want clarification. _Now."_

Al rubbed the back of his head as he looked down at his feet. "I don't know…" he started, but trailed off when he found that Amy narrowed her eyes at his response. Al glanced at Ed, who pinched the bridge of his nose and had an irritated expression on his face. "Sorry, brother…." Al said.

Ed put a hand up to stop him. "I know, I know. Just tell her already. She won't leave us alone until we tell her," Ed said bitterly.

Al sighed but nodded. "We're going to follow Erika to Central, and Ed's going to become a State Alchemist to help Erika with the war," Al murmured.

Silence.

Al looked up, seeing Amy's face emotionless. He looked down, waiting for the blow up that was going to ensue. It was only natural. And he didn't blame her for blowing up.

"You two are so slow."

Ed and Al both snapped their heads up at this. "What?" they both said.

Amy rolled her eyes as she smiled. She left the room. Ed and Al both exchanged looks. "Do you know what…?" Ed asked.

"I…I don't…." Al said shaking his head.

Amy returned shortly after, a backpack slung over her shoulder. "I'm coming with you," Amy declared.

Ed's eyes widened at this. "Wait, hold on," Ed said, trying to grasp the situation. "What the hell are you talking about 'coming with us'?"

Amy smirked. "I was planning on following her to Central since she came back. I'm not letting her do this by herself. Since you two are going, we might as well go together."

Ed shook his head. "No way. You don't need to get dragged into this."

Amy sighed. "Look, I've already made up my mind. I'm coming with you, and that's that. If I get hurt, then that's on me. She may be your partner, but she's my sister," Amy said solemnly.

Ed stared at her for a long time, his eyes narrowed. There was no stopping her when her mind was made up. Although the offer did make sense, it just wasn't worth it to put her in danger. Amy was right though; Erika was her sister. She had a right to do this as much as Edward did. Ed groaned loudly as he ran his hand through his bangs.

"Evans' going to kill me if you get hurt, you know," Ed said.

Amy grinned. "But I won't."

XoXo… Erika …XoXo

Erika rested her head on her palm as she stared out the window. She occasionally glanced at the two officers that sat across from her, but they made no attempt to speak. They just sat there, motionless. Erika's eyes glazed over in annoyance as she turned the two.

"You two don't make much conversation, do you?"

The officers shook their heads. "Our orders were to escort you from Risembool to Central. Nothing more."

Erika sighed dramatically at the response. "Typical," Erika grumbled under her breath. Looking out the window, she saw the plains of white pass by in a blur. The houses lit brightly and warmly.

She narrowed her eyes; a determination set in her expression.

XoXo… The Elrics and Amy …XoXo

"Three tickets to Central," the ticket master said, handing Ed the tickets. Ed nodded in thanks. The wind blew, blowing his braid and coat in the wind. He turned to the direction where the wind blew, finding the sun setting in a bright orange.

He narrowed his eyes; a new determination set in his eyes.

_Kawashita hazu no yai Yakusoko ga…_

XoXo…. Both …XoXo

_I'll stop this war. No matter what it takes._

* * *

><p><strong>BN: And so, we go to Central! XD I've been waiting so long for this one moment, but alas, I had to wait and write down the first events. And unfortunately, I'm horrible at pacing things. DX<strong>

**Anyway, I'll have to apologize again. This weekend I won't be updating. T^T I'm goign to my uncle's house in fremont, which is very far away from where I live, so...And, hopefully, if I ever get around to finishing it beforehand, I'll try to post it. But, i can't make promises. I really can't. For some reason 2012 isn't letting me have any free days. I'm doing things all throughout the weeks, and if I do ahve free time, I am forced into chores. **

**So, I apologize for this inconvenience.**

**Well, until Next Chap! **=:D


	20. It Was Nice Visiting You

**TN:**

**Me: Okay, that took a long time to write...But here's 12 pages of a chapter! XD  
>Ed: Wait, where am I!<br>****Me: Oh, hey Edo kun! ^-^  
><strong>**Ed: YOU AGAIN! How the hell did you get me HERE this time!  
><strong>**Me: I just wanted to see you...?  
>Ed: Well i don't wanna see you!<br>ME: T-T You're so cruel...*goes into emo corner*  
>Amy: How mean, Edward! *Turns to me* Um...excuse me, are you possibly, Nikkome Konno?<br>****me: *^_^* You know who I am? YAY!~  
><strong>**Ed: Ames is here too? How many people did you kidnap!  
>ME: I didn't kidnap anyone! You jsut...appear!<br>**

**Amy: *Watches as Ed and Me argue* -_-" Well, I've heard that this is what Nikkome does sometimes... Well, enjoy the chapter!**

**Amy: Hey, Nikkome, can you explain to me what this "chapter" is?**

* * *

><p>Amy stared out the window of the train, seeing the plains of white snow pass by in a blur. She had noticed that the snow had gotten lighter in the past few days, it seeming not as thick as before. In fact, it seemed much, much lighter. Amy shook her head, forcing herself to keep her mind at the task in hand. No matter how long she planned on going to Central, she hadn't really planned much after that. Where will she stay? Will she hide from Erika? Just tell her straight out? Join the military as well? Go on the front lines? Help out at home?<p>

To be quite honest, what _can _she do? She isn't an investigator like her father. She isn't like a martial arts and alchemy master like Casey. She wasn't a soldier like Erika. Heck, she wasn't even an Eyes of the Soul like her mother. Even Derek was at least an Eye of the Soul, having one other than two. Where did she stand, really? All she was good for was to give pep talk. What else was she capable of?

_An eleven year old Amy cried out in pain as she slammed back by force, and into the trunk of the cherry blossom tree. She winced and slid back onto the floor, falling into a bed of lilac flowers. Her vision began to become blurry, her cheek swollen from too many punches. _

"_Cry! Go on and cry! I know you want to!" a local kid bully mocked, bending down to Amy's eye level where she lay on the ground. "Cry, you little cry baby!"_

"_I'm not a cry baby!" Amy persisted, pushing herself up with her arms. "I'm not!"_

"_Yes you are," the boy mocked, a smirk on his face. "Just give up already! What are you going to do about it? Huh? Your big sis ain't here to back you up, right? She's up in the mountains with Casey!" _

_Amy felt tears brim her eyes at the mention of her big sister backing her up. Was she really useless without Erika there to defend her? Amy looked down, pleading that the tears in her eyes to not fall down her cheeks. What was she going to do? She opened her mouth, shutting her eyes tightly. _

"_Mommy! Daddy! Help!" she cried out, but then choked back a sob as she opened her eyes wide. Her parents weren't able to help her. They were gone. Long gone. "Derek!" she tried again, not finding the seventeen year old in sight. _

_The boy snickered, standing up as he glowered at her. "Derek's not here, idiot! He's been missing for months!" _

_Amy shut her eyes tightly, covering her ears as the boy laughed and mocked her. She had almost forgotten. As soon as her mother and father died, Derek went missing. It's been three entire months, and she was still calling out for them as if they were still there. She felt pathetic. Here she was crying out for help. If Erika was in her position, she would've socked the boy a good one. Not lay here crying like she was. _

"_Cry baby! Cry baby!" the boy sung in a mocking tone. "Cry baby!"_

"_Stop it! I am not!" Amy cried again, desperately wiping at her face from all the tears coming from her eyes. "Stop it! Go away!"_

"_Cry baby!"_

"_Stop it!"_

_The boy scoffed as he grabbed her by the hair, yanking her up to his eye level. She yelped in pain as he yanked her hair up. She now regretted keeping her hair long. Amy's eyes widened in fear as she stared into the boy's dark black eyes. "And what are you going to do? You can't do anything! You wait for everyone else to help you. You're pathetic, useless! You've never done anything for yourself. You just stand by and watch as everyone else makes the decisions and do everything for you."_

Amy shut her eyes tightly, subconsciously bringing her hand to her face as if to wipe away a tear. It's been five years since that incident, the bullying going on farther than that. The boys her age in Ashwell has always given her a hard time since she's never stood up for herself. Luckily for her, whenever that happened, Erika or Derek was always with her. So she never had a problem because they were all afraid of them.

But when she turned eleven, Erika twelve, Casey came into town. Casey had figured out that Erika was an Eyes of the Soul, and therefore taken her up into the mountains to train her. Amy still remembered what Erika did when she found out they were going into to mountains.

_A twelve year old Erika smiled, untying something from around her neck. She brought down her hands, pulling Amy's out and placing something in them. "I want you to keep this," Erika said._

_Amy opened up her hands, gasping at the item in her hands. "B-but, Sister! This…this is…!" _

_Erika giggled and nodded. "Yep. It's Dad's badge," Erika said proudly. _

_Amy stared at it longer before shaking her head and pushing the badge back towards her older sister. "No, no. I can't take this! It's…It's…" Amy's face reddened as she couldn't get the words out. "But, it's daddy's badge! You've always kept it with you! It never left your side!"_

"_And now it is," Erika persisted, pushing the badge away from herself and to Amy. "I know how much it means to me, and it means a lot to you too, right? I've been selfish, keeping all of Dad's stuff like it was my own. I've completely forgotten that he was your dad too, and you need something to remember him by. So, I'm giving the badge to you."_

_Amy felt tears bloom in her eyes again as she tied the necklace that Erika made the badge out of. She smiled at the weight it had on her neck. She thought quick, searching her mind for something to give in return. She finally found something, and reached up at the ribbon that was tied in her hair. She pulled it out, making the ribbon turn into a long piece of cloth that could tied like a shoe lace. She handed it towards her sister, putting it in her hands. _

_Erika's eyes widened. "This is Derek's wrist tie…" Erika said, remembering how Derek had always kept the red cloth tied around his wrist. "You mean…"_

_Amy nodded. "You get to have that, and I get this." She pointed at the badge around her neck. "A trade off."_

"_Equivalent Exchange," Erika said, a smile spreading over her face. She smiled brightly, tying her hair up into a ponytail with the red cloth. She made a bow with it, then tightened it. She held out her hand as if she were challenging Amy to an arm wrestling match. _

_Amy stared at the gesture. She had seen Erika and Derek do that a million times over, never with anyone else. And now Erika was offering the same thing with Amy. Erika and Derek were always the closer siblings, Amy falling over the category of 'Mother's angel.' Amy smiled and nodded, clasping Erika's hand as if they were having an arm wrestling match. Then they both grinned. _

Amy put her hand on her chest, feeling the slight bulge where the badge hung. That little badge almost meant everything to her. It symbolized all she held dear. It marked the point in life where she and Erika become the closest, the relationship between her and Alphonse, her father and mother, Derek, her friendship with Ed and everyone else. It was everything. If something ever happened to it, she wouldn't know what to do.

"Ames? You okay?" Alphonse asked, bringing Amy out of her daze.

Amy blinked her eyes a little, shaking her head free of any thoughts. "Huh?" She rubbed her eyes even if no tears concealed them, and then looked up. "What's up? We're at Central already?"

Al shook his head, his eyebrows furrowing. "No…Twenty more minutes until," Al replied confused, staring at his girlfriend. "Is something up? You keep wiping your face."

Amy began to blush at her little habit, bringing her head down as her cheeks reddened. "R-Really? Sorry…it's a habit of mine," Amy admitted somewhat guiltily, rubbing her wrists. "I'm just…thinking."

Al rose an eyebrow, and eyed how she rubbed her wrists tightly. Something was bothering her, and Alphonse could see that clearly. Seeing as though he would probably upset her if he asked, he would ask her about it later.

XoXo… Central ….XoXo

It was quiet, the door shut, no one around. Through the closed window pieces of white snow fell peacefully on the outside world, not making a sound. The only sound emanating from the dorm room was the sound of a pencil scratching on paper. Erika sat in silence as she pensively wrote in her beat-up green notebook. The words seemed to flow easily from her mind and onto paper for the first time in months. All she's ever been writing for the past months were war reports required from the military.

_This untainted morning,_

_That I have finally reached to_

_Is entangled by the past I knew._

_Instead of moving on, towards my own future_

_I was stuck in my own remorseful past._

A knock at the door made Erika jump in surprise. She quickly closed her notebook closed and left the pencil inside it to mark her place. She smoothed her hair out with her hands as she fixed herself for whoever was at the door. She cleared her throat, her cheeks flushed slightly with pink.

"This is Assisting Captain Sapphire Spark. How may I assist you?" Erika called to the door.

"Calm down. It's only me, Havoc."

Erika heaved a sigh as she ripped off the military jacket she shoved on. Taking off the military jacket revealed her black tank top that she was previously wearing. She walked to the door and opened it up to see a grinning Havoc. She rolled her eyes as she leaned in the doorway. "So, what's up?"

"Nothing much. The Crimson Alchemist wants to see you; you know, the usual," Havoc replied nonchalantly.

Erika sighed as she shook her head. "When is General Green coming back? He always leaves and then Kimblee is put in charge of me for the longest time. He _knows _that I hate Kimblee. Kimblee's the worst to have as your superior."

Havoc sighed too as he shrugged. "Can't help what you can't help. I'm lucky to have Colonel Mustang as mine; I feel sorry for you."

Erika growled. "You don't know the half of it. I would _kill _to have Colonel Mustang as my superior." At this, she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.

Havoc rose an eyebrow as something flashed in his blue eyes. "Really? You'd want Mustang?"

"Of course!" Erika immediately replied, staring at the tall blond. He held her stare for about seven seconds and then turned away as he chuckled. Erika blinked her eyes. "What?"

"Before going anywhere else, you might want to consider changing into something else," commented the soldier as he looked her up and down with a smirk.

"What are you…." Erika trailed off, looking over her attire. Immediately, her face began to redden. She was standing there in booty shorts and a tank top that stopped in the middle of her stomach. Heat surged to her face as she screamed.

"_HAVOC YOU PERVERT!" _

Havoc just smirked bigger as she slammed the door in his face.

XoXo… Ten minutes Later …XoXo

"Why that smug little perv…." Erika murmured as she fixed her tie on her way to Kimblee's office.

If there was another thing that was highly confusing to Erika, it would be uniforms. And she didn't particularly mind them….

Unless she was the one wearing them.

Required by the military, she is to wear a specific uniform of her superior's choosing. She is wearing a navy blue military skirt that reaches down to the middle of her thighs. As a top, a button-up collared shirt that must have a tie. Also over it, a navy-blue military cardigan. Due to a long, drug-out argument she had with Kimblee, in which she lost, she was required to wear black boots that reach up to her knee. Normally she didn't mind boots, but these were dress boots; not combat boots. AKA: A pointed heel, not a flat heel.

_(A/N: What I mean by that, is you know how stilettos have a pointed heel? The ones Erika wears are boots with flat heels, not pointed ones like a stiletto. The boots she is forced to wear have a pointed heel, one inch though.)_

The pointed heels to her boots clacked on the floor of Central HQ and sounded around the hallways. She became numb to the sound, but it took some time getting used to. After hearing the other female workers walk around in their heels made Erika immune to the annoyance they had on her then. Erika shook her head as she mentally growled. Why couldn't she wear military boots like Lieutenant Hawkeye?

Erika blinked her eyes in realization. _Oh yeah, _she thought. _If Colonel Mustang ever tried to get her to wear something like this, he'd get seven rounds of bullets in him. _At that moment, Erika wished she had a gun.

Erika soon came upon the doors to Kimblee's office. With an annoyed look in her eyes, she knocked three times on the big wooden doors.

"Come in," came the reply.

Cursing at her herself to make sure she doesn't get herself into any more trouble than she already was, she opened the door. "Lieutenant Major Kimblee, you needed me?"

The chair that Kimblee sat in was turned to the wall so that Erika couldn't see his face. As a compromise, Erika saw his hand clenched tightly in a fist on the arm of the chair. A shiver went down her spin; that was never good. "Ah, yes. Sapphire Spark," the snake-like voice said. It held a sentiment of frustration, but at the moment Erika didn't really care. "You have the military files for me?"

Erika nodded. "Yes, sir. It's all right here," Erika replied, her voice as hard as steel. She slowly walked to Kimblee's desk, making her clacking heels seem amplified due to the silence. Squeezing the folder close to her chest, she released her grip and set the folder onto the desk. Something bothered her about the file though. "Why did you ask me to make a copy? I already given you the report when we first arrived at Central HQ."

"That was hand-written. I wanted this report printed."

Erika glared holes into the seat. _Why you…._She thought angrily, trying to refrain herself from growling right then. She knows that's what Kimblee wanted her to do; she wouldn't allow him the satisfaction of knowing her. "Is there a reason for that, sir?" Erika asked, her voice low and steady.

At this, Kimblee chuckled. "Oh, nothing. Just needed an excuse to get you over here and not let it be suspicious." Erika rose an eyebrow. "You used to be Fullmetal's partner, right?"

Her eyes filled with sadness as she heard the words. She wasn't entirely used to the fact that Edward quit. Shaking her head, she composed herself in time to reply without sounding weak. "Yes, yes I was," she said quickly. "Why ask?"

Kimblee turned around sharply, making his snake eyes lock with Erika's sapphire blue ones quickly. It startled her at how fast he was able to do that. "I understand that a year and a half ago you two came into contact with Scar."

Memories of that rainy night flashed through her mind, the feelings of uselessness and terror coming to her quickly. "Y-Yes," she replied.

"Well, that's helpful to hear," Kimblee said. "Do you recall where you came into contact with him?"

"It was Dublith," Erika responded immediately. "Me and Ed just left a crime scene….We went out to look for him."

Kimblee nodded. "Anything else?"

"We started fighting…and then he just…left," Erika recalled, still puzzled of why he did.

_XoXoXo_

"_It seems to me that you're bond is strong. You may be an Alchemist, but you have a kind look in your eyes that show in your actions. For now, I will leave. But I will be back, girl," Scar said and ran off._

_XoXoXo_

To this day it didn't make sense to her on why he just went up and left. He was especially close to killing her and Edward, so why hadn't he finished the job? Erika couldn't understand it.

"I see…" Kimblee murmured. "That's it?" Erika nodded. "Well, that seems helpful," he said in a sarcastic tone.

Erika rose an eyebrow. Dropping her formality for the slightest second, she questioned him. "Why the sudden interest?"

"It's my new assignment," he answered rather casually, not calling Erika out on her informality. "I need to find him as quick as I can. He's starting to become a problem. _He's ruining the plan."_

Erika immediately picked up on that last sentence. What plan was he talking about? Something in store for the soldiers? The bordering countries? Or more importantly…the State Alchemists.

"Is this something I should be concerned about?" Erika asked, her voice low and suspicious. Something was up, and she believed that people could be put in danger. As she's seen and learned, one tiny mistake can cost a hundred of people's lives. If something was wrong, Erika needed to fix it. Kimblee simply smirked.

"No, it's not something that you should be _concerned _about. Rather, you need to be aware of it," he said, his snake-like eyes darting over Erika.

"Alright, then what is it?" Erika asked.

Kimblee chuckled. "I said you need to be _aware _of it, I didn't say that you needed to know what it is," he said, earning a glare. "Just be aware that something might come that will…._affect _you in some way. Dismissed."

Erika stared at him for a while, seeing how his smirk was widening in every passing second. He rubbed the palms of his hands, showing the transmutation circles that were used to kill millions of Ishbalans. Erika shivered, and left the room without a single thought. If something went wrong, she certainly didn't want to be blown to bits.

Erika sighed as she shut the door tightly behind her. Another round of this, and she'll be dying to pull the hair out of her head. She _hated _Kimblee. Maybe if he wasn't her superior, she might not have such a loathing for him. When Erika opened her eyes again, she saw a blond standing right in front of her. The woman's piercing mahogany eyes melded with hers, and immediately Erika recognized her.

She snapped a salute, greeting the woman with the utmost respect. "First Lieutenant Hawkeye, it's a pleasure to see you," Erika greeted.

Hawkeye sighed, shaking her head. "At ease, soldier," she said, making Erika release her salute. "Why are you saluting me?"

Erika smirked. "Because I respect you."

She rose an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Just because," Erika replied nonchalantly.

Hawkeye smiled. "Follow me."

Erika was about to ask why, but seeing the female soldier start walking away made Erika shut her mouth and start following her. It took a minute, but Erika finally caught up with Hawkeye's stride. The brunette struggled to follow her fast pace, and although Erika was also a fast walker, she wasn't as extreme as those who have been in the military for years.

"Hey, where are we going?" Erika asked, three steps behind Hawkeye.

Hawkeye didn't reply, and just kept walking. Erika sighed. This is as much as she's even spoken to her in months, well, _ever _and she isn't even able to get an answer. Noticing Hawkeye's hairstyle, her cheeks began to redden. She's been wearing her own hair like that sometimes without Hawkeye knowing. Closing her eyes in relief, she thanked herself for putting her hair in a low ponytail instead of clipping her hair up.

After a few moments of silence, they soon reached their destination. Erika stopped in front of the door with her eyes wide. She hasn't been here in forever. She was transferred into General Green's care after District 56's state alchemist was killed. She missed this place, no matter how much someone bothered her. This was where she was stationed at when she first joined the military.

"Well, are you going to go in?" Hawkeye asked, staring at the seventeen year old.

Erika snapped her head to Hawkeye's direction to find her waiting patiently. She nodded stiffly and turned back to the door. She feebly lifted up her hand, and knocked on the door two times.

"Come in," came the deep voice.

Erika swallowed, and opened the door just enough so that she could walk in. The smell of tobacco reached her, and she inhaled the scent in. No matter how much she hated the smell, she found herself missing it. Soon enough, the distant smell of vanilla reached her nose when Hawkeye walked by and toward her desk where the air freshener stood. The sounds of someone messing with a radio cut in through the silence. What stood before her was the faces of her past co-workers, and superior.

"Erika!" exclaimed the young man who was fiddling with the radio.

"Fuery," Erika acknowledged in some shock. "Good to see you again."

"Erika, how's it going?" a chubby man inquired.

"Breda," Erika said.

A man with gray hair snapped a salute, standing up. "Assisting Captain of District 56, Sapphire Spark Alchemist Erika Violet Evans, it's a pleasure to see you!" the man half-yelled, causing Erika to chuckle a little.

"At ease, Falman," Erika said with a small smile.

"Sparky."

Erika's eyes narrowed out of habit from hearing the old nickname. She immediately turned her head to a man who stood smugly against the far wall. His dark hair messily fell over his dark eyes, his smirk lying prominently on his face as it always was. He was clad in the military blue uniform, a shiny badge on his shoulder symbolizing his rank.

"Colonel Roy Mustang," Erika said, putting up a salute the best she could in her shocked state. "Long time no see."

Roy looked the girl over, his face screwed in confusion. "At ease…" Her appearance was in uniform, a military blue skirt reaching the middle of her thighs replacing the jeans she used to wear. A cardigan and tie in place of a regular nice t-shirt and black jacket. Heels instead of comfortable military boots. Her hair in a low ponytail, tied with a black rubber band. What had happened to her? She was completely different, not herself. Roy cursed under his breath. He's loosing another person to the military, something he vowed will never happen.

"Sparky, what happened to you?" he asked. Erika sighed, looking down. He soon smirked, intending not to let his emotions show. "Never thought I'd see the day of you wearing a uniform. Nice skirt and boots," he commented slyly, making Erika's face heat up.

"S-Shut up!" Erika snapped, turning her head away, even though a bright red spread over her cheeks. "It wasn't my decision to wear the damn things!"

Mustang chuckled in relief. _So she isn't entirely lost… _Mustang thought in relief. His eyes caught something very interesting. "By the way, when did you start wearing you're hair like that?" he asked.

"Huh?" Erika asked, subconsciously reaching back to touch her hair. "Oh, the low ponytail….Kimblee instructed me to wear my hair 'more professionally' when at HQ."

Mustang and Hawkeye's eyes narrowed at the name. "I see…" Mustang hummed in annoyance.

A silence hung over the room for a few moments until Erika stopped it. "It's been great visiting you all; I've missed you guys."

Fuery pouted, his bottom lip jutting out. " 'Visit'? I thought you were coming back."

Erika shook her head ruefully, rubbing the back of her neck. "Nope; sorry. I can't transfer just like that. I'm the 'military's lap dog,' remember? I take orders and obey; I don't give out orders," Erika said, stepping back towards the door. "I promise the next time I get a break I'll come visit. After all, my day off's coming up; maybe then I'll come over. But for now, I'm not really free. I've got to call Casey today, and who knows when Kimblee will call me over."

Mustang's eyes glinted over in some emotion as he lowered his head slightly. "So, you're crawling back, eh?" Mustang asked teasingly.

Erika rolled her eyes, opening up the door. "I'm not crawling anywhere, Mustang," Erika said. "See you."

And with that, she left the room.

They all stood in silence for a few minutes after she left. Havoc merely leaned back in his chair, lighting up another cigarette. "I told you," he said simply, drawing in the smoke.

Mustang sighed, pinching his nose and shaking his head. "I didn't think it was that bad though," Mustang said tiredly.

"Three months of working as a full time military officer, two months of working on the front lines, one month cleaning up after the battles and transporting soldiers to the hospital, war paperwork and military training all in between," Falman recited, looking at his superior while doing so.

"And you also have to put into consideration that she's only a seventeen year old girl, Colonel," Breda added.

"She's going along all of this quite nicely, Colonel. She isn't as weak as we might think," Fuery added as well. "Besides all of this, you have to consider her past…"

"Yes, yes, I know what you're trying to say!" Mustang said finally, looking down at his feet. "If she weren't such a hot head maybe we could have spared her all this trauma if she only had quit…."

"Colonel, if I may, Erika has been through a lot before she even joined the military. Remember her father was a detective in his days; she is no newcomer to war," Hawkeye said. "The Civil War had every single member of the military active and at work. She was born into a war; her father part of it even if he wasn't on the frontlines."

Mustang narrowed his eyes as he digested the information being told to him. It was true; Mustang had seen her back story when she was first accepted as a State Alchemist. It was a terrible report, everything happening at a time in which she would remember each and every moment in detail. Her entire family had been taken away from her except her younger sister who also put into a critical state from the incident.

Kimblee certainly wasn't helping her, but Roy sure could. The only question was how…..Mustang nodded his head, knowing what he had to do. It was a long-shot, but he could somehow make it.

"Lieutenant," Mustang said, gaining Hawkeye's attention. "Get every soldier in District 56 on the phone. Especially General Green."

"Yes, sir," Hawkeye said and got to work.

"Falman, Breda."

"Yes, sir," they said in unison.

"I want you to investigate all Central HQ activity," Mustang instructed.

"Yes, sir," they said in unison again and began working.

"Fuery."

"Uh, y-yes, sir," Fuery replied.

"I want you to investigate District 56's history, top to bottom," Mustang ordered.

"Copy that," Fuery answered and began searching through military files.

"Havoc."

"Yes, sir?" Havoc asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I want you to keep Erika on surveillance. You were never off of your duty as her guard even if she was transferred teams," Mustang instructed.

"Sure thing, sir. But if I may, what is all this for?" Havoc asked.

"Remember what Erika said to you when you two were talking?" Mustang smirked. "I'm taking her up on her offer."

XoXo… Meanwhile ….XoXo

"_Mommy!"_

_A ten year old Amy screamed, her arms over her head in fear. She was absolutely certain that she was in complete danger, the way her siblings were shielding her from seeing anything proved it. The last thing she remembered seeing was blood splatter, but she couldn't make out anything from that._

"_Leave them alone…" she heard her mother's strained voice say._

"_And why on earth would I do that? Two of your children are Eyes of the Soul just like you are, my Alice. They would be perfect specimen for my experiments." Amy heard the sick man say sadistically, paralyzing her in fear. _

"_Like I'll ever let your kind get your sick hands on my children," Alice scoffed, bringing herself into a battle stance. "I won't let you touch them!"_

"_Oh, there's no need to be so negative, Alice. Weren't we friends? I believe it was your husband that said that exact same thing….what was his name…Ah, yes. I believe his name was Michael." Amy heard her mother growl. "Ah, Michael, Michael….A simple detective who didn't know when to keep his nose away from someone else's business. It was quite a shame really…he was horrible experiment material."_

"_You bastard!" A fifteen year old Derek growled, clenching his hands into fists. "That son of a bitch…I'll kill him!" _

"_Derek, don't," An eleven year old Erika warned, her voice low and wobbly. "If you go out there, I don't know what'll happen to you!"_

_At that moment, Amy finally picked up her head, looking around her surroundings. She was in a supply closet, carefully hid in the back behind supplies. Her older siblings were with her, Derek in front of both her and Erika. Erika holding Amy closely to her chest. If Amy paid attention she could hear the quickness of Erika's heart beat. What confused her was that Erika's cheeks were stained with tears and a little bit of blood was on Derek's. His sapphire blue eye glimmered in the darkness while his amber one stood masked in darkness._

"_Brother?" Amy asked quietly, not going noticed by him. _

"_Derek, don't," Erika warned again, this time her voice louder. "Who knows what he'll do to you."_

"_And what will happen to Mom?" Derek snapped, his eyes full of hate. At that moment, a sharp scream cut through the darkness. All three siblings snapped their heads to the noise._

"_MOM!"_

_XoXo… End of Flashback …XoXo_

Amy woke up at that moment, subconsciously touching her father's badge under her shirt. She had fallen asleep again, on the couch of the hotel she and the Elric brothers had recently moved into. Looking around, she still had her bag not unpacked since an hour ago.

"Darn it…" Amy said, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. "I fell asleep…"

"Ames? You awake now?" Alphonse asked, stepping into her room.

"Huh? Uh, yeah. I am," Amy answered.

Al furrowed his eyebrows in concern as he walked to the couch she was sitting on and sat next to her. "Are you okay? You've been falling asleep more often than ever since yesterday. Is something wrong?"

Amy sighed, shaking her head. She forced a smile on her face. "No; I'm fine. I guess I'm just sleepy." She looked around the room. "Where's Edward?"

Al chuckled. "He passed out on the bed in our room."

Amy smiled. "Good. Because if he went over to HQ already we'd have a problem. Before going we need to think of what we're going to do. I think we should wait a couple of days to gather information on what the military's been doing for the war. Maybe ask around the city."

Al nodded. "Sounds like a good idea." Al rose an eyebrow. "Why are you so cautious now?"

Amy flinched at the question. "Um…no reason."

Al stared at her with disbelief for a few seconds. Then he sighed as he contemplated his options. "Fine, fine." he stood up and stretched. "But you're telling me what's wrong tomorrow."

And with that, he left the room.

Amy sighed, looking out the window in her hotel room. Memories of her past jumbled up in her mind, striking fear in her heart. "Oh, Sister….Will we have to go through something like that again?"

* * *

><p><strong>BN:<strong>

**Me: *recovered from my argument and now cheery* Phew! 12 pages, I'm exhausted!  
>Ed: So, I'm going to be seeing you a lot, huh?<br>ME: ^-^ Basically! Unless you stop appearing every time I start a chapter...  
>Ed: You mean you dont bring me here?<br>Me: no...Why? Think I'd kidnap my favorite characters and make them do something they don't want to? Who do you think I am!  
><strong>**Amy: Um...Nikkome has to leave soon...So, well, I'll do what she asked me to do... Well, Until Next Chap!**

**ME:** =:D


	21. Central HQ

**Me: GOMENASAI, GOMENASAI, GOMENASAI! DX  
>Ed: Why are you apologizing?<br>****me: Are you kidding me? I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER!  
>Ed: And...?<br>****me: YOU ARE SO MEAN!  
>Al: Brother, don't be so cruel!<br>Ed: AL! SHE KIDNAPPED YOU TOO!  
>me: FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME, i DIDN'T KIDNAP ANYONE!<br>****Ed: Hey, shut up! I'm not the one who's keeping me here for no reason!  
><strong>**me: No, you shut up you microscopic midget!  
>Ed: WHO YOU CALLING-<br>****Me: Don't even ask because you know I'm talking to you! I'm tired of you giving me crap all the time becasue you so happen to be here! Look, if you don't want to be here then scram!  
>Ed: ...<br>**

**Me: I'm sorry everyone for my outburst. You shouldn't have heard me yell like that. And I also apologize for not updating in the longest while. I shouldn't have made you wait this long all the time. And Ed?**

**Ed: *glare*  
><strong>**me: I am sorry for yelling at you and calling you small. I shouldn't have done that.**

**Al:* smile * Brother, do you have anything to say sorry for?  
>Ed:I don't have to say sorry to anybody!<br>me: *Sigh* I can never get through to him... Please enjoy the chapter everyone! **

* * *

><p>TWO DAYS LATER….<p>

"_Sapphire Spark."_

_Erika turned to the snake eyed man, her eyes narrowed. "Need something, Kimblee?"_

_He chuckled. "Nothing at all. Just make sure after your day off, you're leaving for Rush Valley. I don't want any excuses coming from you." Kimblee glanced at paperwork that was scattered all around his desk. "This is the first field work you're assigned. You haven't done this before; think you can handle it?" _

_Erika nodded her head. "Field work is something that comes naturally to me. My father was a detective in his days; field work was a usual part of his job, needing to see the crime scene and everything. I'll be fine," Erika persisted. This is the closest she can get to getting away from the military; it's been forever since she's been off the job. Her day off was coming up soon, so she needed work to do after that day. She hated being so bored with nothing to do but train. This would be a good way to get out of office life. _

_Kimblee nodded. "Okay. As you've heard, I'm on the Scar case. There's been multiple sightings in Rush Valley about a mysterious man with a large scar on his forehead. What's worse, the military personnel there are found dead by certain points of time. I need you to gather as much information as you can; and if possible, catch him."_

"_What are the orders if he's found?" Erika asked hesitantly. _

"_Orders are to capture him, and if he resists, shoot to kill."_

_XoXo… Flashback End …XoXo_

Walking through the streets of Central, Erika checked her watch. The time read 7:30, and Erika hadn't done anything at all except buy things she needed for the dorm and the trip to Rush Valley. She sighed. All she's done on her day off was more work. No taking a break. It was pleasant, yes, but now she wished that she could just quit. But that wasn't an option, really. There was one more thing she could do, but….

Erika walked up to the Hughes' residence and stopped in front of the door. Should she go in? Or just go back to her dorm to unpack everything? Taking a gamble, Erika sucked in a breath and knocked on the door. She knocked, and waited. And waited. And waited. Realizing that no one was probably home, she turned on heel and back to where she came, disappointed.

She stopped when she heard a door open. "Wait, hold on, please," called a motherly voice.

Erika turned her head, and she found a woman with short light brown hair and emerald green eyes. It was Gracia Hughes. "Um, hello," Erika said timidly, bowing her head.

Gracia smiled. "Hello," she replied back sweetly. "Did you knock?"

"Oh, that, um, yes. Yes; that was me," Erika said. "But if you're busy, I can just go-"

"Oh no," Gracia interrupted. "I'm not busy at all. Please come inside, it's chilly out here.

* * *

><p>Erika sat on the couch, a cup of coffee in her hands. The fresh coffee warmed her hands, bringing heat back to them. Looking into the mug, she saw a reflection of herself on the surface. She took a sip, and her eyes widened. "Wow, this is amazing coffee Mrs. Hughes," Erika praised, holding the cup close to her lips.<p>

Gracia shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing. Just coffee." She waved away the compliment.

Erika persisted. "No; this is the best I've ever tasted. Really," Erika insisted, smiling. "It's tastes very homely."

Gracia smiled as she looked down into her cup. "Maes used to make it for me. It was his idea, not mine," Gracia said bashfully.

Erika glanced up from her cup, seeing Gracia's pained expression. She knew what it was for; there was no need for explanation. "No, no," Erika tried in some attempt to cheer her up. "If I know anything, it takes just a great a person to duplicate another's great thing."

Gracia looked at the brunette in confusion, but smiled anyways. She seemed so genuine and sweet, not like how she expected her. Gracia's heard quite a lot about her. She was the Sapphire Spark Alchemist, the youngest person to achieve the rank of Assisting Captain and put on the front lines. She's also the first, and only, female state alchemist in history. Not only that, but she was also a rather gifted alchemist with mysterious alchemy, she's heard. She's known for her stone face, and her cold heart.

"I'm sorry; I haven't caught your name." Gracia decided to play dumb for a little, something Maes had always told her to do when she first meets someone in the military. "Again, I'm Gracia Hughes."

"Erika Violet Evans." Erika held out her hand. "It really is a pleasure to meet you; I've heard so much about you from Lt. Colonel- I mean, Brigadier General Hughes."

This sparked interest in Gracia's mind. Erika. That name seemed very familiar, but all that really mattered was that she knew her late husband. "You knew Maes?"

Erika nodded. "Yes; he was a good friend of Ed and Al's too. I knew him through them," Erika explained.

This was definitely good news. She now recognized her. This was Erika Violet Evans, the new state alchemist that's been paired up with Edward. Gracia recalled hearing all about the partnership through Maes, him saying that they make a perfect team. They bickered, but in reality, he believed that they might have had the strongest friendship he's seen.

"Erika, you were paired up with Edward for your beginning year in the military, right?" Gracia asked. Maybe she knew something about Edward's quitting.

Erika nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. "Yeah. He was a great partner," Erika said, her smile widening. "I had his back and he had mine. Always was like that."

Gracia smiled. "It seems to me that you two were very close."

"Um, well…I wouldn't say we were really close." Erika sipped her coffee in delight, tasting the slight cinnamon she added into it. "We were good friends. His younger brother is dating my younger sister, Amy."

Gracia tilted her head slightly. "You have a younger sister?" she asked, surprised. Erika nodded. Gracia giggled softly. "Interesting how your younger sister is dating your partner's younger brother."

Erika smiled as she laughed slightly. "To be honest, I'm not in the least worried about it." Erika rubbed the back of her head. "I'm really happy for her, actually. She and Alphonse make the perfect couple. She found a boyfriend before I did!"

Gracia raised an eyebrow at this information. "You don't have a boyfriend? And how is that possible with the beautiful young girl you are?" Gracia asked, confused. "I don't see how you could have a problem with finding someone."

Erika shook her head. "Oh no; it's not like that Mrs. Hughes. I'm not all that pretty."

Gracia scoffed in reply to that. "Please, you're beautiful," she insisted.

Erika laughed at that. "Really, I'm flattered…" Erika amended. "Even so, I _did _have a boyfriend. Was a jerk, though."

"How so?" Gracia asked.

"Cheated on me," Erika offered simply. She took a sip of her coffee. Then she laughed. "But Ed did give him a piece of his mind. Once he tried to get me back at a Christmas festival. Ed socked him in the jaw."

At this information, Gracia raised an eyebrow. "He did, did he?" she asked, intrigued.

Erika nodded as she smiled. "Going off topic, Ed always hasn't been the best at learning a lesson. I tried to teach him some Wind alchemy, but he failed miserably. Kept getting blown off his feet." Erika giggled. "I gave him a hard time for it. To this day he still calls me a 'Breeze Witch'."

Gracia raised an eyebrow at the nickname. "That's his nickname for you?" Gracia asked, rather surprised. It was Edward, of course, so it wasn't so surprising, but still…

Erika shook her head. "Oh no," Erika said. "His nickname for me is Hot Head." Erika screwed her face into an annoyed expression. "It's really contradicting; he's a Hot Head as much as I am!"

Gracia smiled as she let Erika chatter along with her stories between her and Edward. Gracia wasn't very surprised; Edward did have a colorful vocabulary and as she saw it, Erika was more than happy to return his fire. It puzzled her. Erika kept explaining how he was so annoying at times, but something in her eyes said a different story. Gracia could always catch certain things that most people couldn't because of how masked it was. But Gracia was very expert at it; especially in the topic of relationships.

Erika could speak of Edward forever, no matter her opinion on the subject was. Her cheeks carry a slight red hue on them if he is even mentioned in their partnership. She smiles every time something about him pops up, and she seems very happy when talking about him. Her eyes carry a deep caring for him, and not only does she can't help but blush slightly when talking about something pertaining to him, she also manages a small smile and a soft loving expression appears.

Then it clicked in Gracia's head. It made perfect sense; they have been partners for two years, their friendship going back to when they were fourteen. Gracia recalled Maes discussing the two, and he said that Erika would make a perfect wife for Edward. Gracia giggled. It was a bit cute; whenever a boy likes a girl, he usually messes with her and teases her about little things. Edward did just that, and Erika would do the same. It was so adorable; Gracia couldn't help but voice her thoughts.

"You seem so lively when you talk about him," Gracia said.

Erika's head popped up. "W-What? No I don't," Erika denied.

Gracia only smiled. "You love him don't you?"

Erika choked on her coffee, her face turning bright red. She coughed as she tried to breathe again, shaking her head rapidly in denial. "No, no, no, no!" She denied quickly, her face as red as a tomato. "Y-You've got the wrong idea! Me? Love Ed? That will never happen! H-he's only a friend! J-just a friend!" Erika basically screamed, her voice cracking on her last word.

"Oh, really…" Gracia said skeptically, eyeing Erika's flustered state.

Erika shook her head. "No!" she denied once again, looking down. "Besides….even if I _did _have feelings for him, hypothetically speaking….he wouldn't….he wouldn't feel the same way."

Gracia bit her bottom lip. That was true; even if she did have feelings for him, Edward probably wouldn't return her feelings. After all, for the half past year he quit so they were no longer together in a partnership. Also along those lines, she recalled that he wasn't so keen in the romance department. Poor girl; first love and she can't even tell him.

"Mommy! Mommy!" a little voice called.

Gracia almost gasped as she turned toward the hall where the voice came from. Oh yes; with all the conversation the woman had almost forgotten about her daughter who was playing in her room. As the little five year old- about to be six - ran into the room, Gracia stood up and scooped her into her arms. The little girl squealed in delight as Gracia picked her up and swung her around back to the ground. The woman bent down to be eye level with the young girl and smiled softly.

"Elicia, this is Erika; remember how you heard daddy talk about her and Edward? This is her." she gestured toward Erika. "Be nice."

Elicia nodded, and turned toward the seventeen year old. As soon as she spotted Erika, her confidence shrunk immensely and she turned to hide behind her mother. At this, Erika had to giggle. She bent down, a bright smile on her face. She held out her hand, gently as to not scare the girl.

"I'm Erika," she started. "it's nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you from your daddy."

At the mention of her father, Elicia's face brightened. "You knew Daddy?" she asked curiously, inching out of her shield of a mother.

Erika nodded. "Knew him? He was one of my good friends!"

Elicia grinned as she ran towards Erika. "Really!" She glowed. "I'm Elicia."

"Nice to meet you Elicia," Erika said, shaking the little girl's hand. "Know something else?"

"What?" she asked.

"I know Edward, the Fullmetal Alchemist too!" Erika said smiling. Elicia beamed. "And his little brother, Alphonse."

"Big Brother and Little Brother?" she exclaimed, jumping up and down. "Tell me more about them! Please, please, please!"

Erika laughed as she screwed her face into a confused expression still maintaining a smile. She cocked her head to the side. "Big Brother and Little Brother…? Who's 'Little Brother'?"

"Ed!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

XoXo…. Two Hours Later …XoXo

"I'm sorry, but it's getting a bit late." Erika wrapped her jacket around herself, checking to see if she had everything. "I have to go on a business trip tomorrow morning."

Gracia frowned slightly, folding her arms over her chest. "A business trip? And why on earth should a seventeen year old girl be going on business trips?" Gracia argued.

"If a seventeen year old girl is part of the military and was ordered to go on a business trip," Erika answered quite cleverly. Blinking her eyes, Gracia found out what she meant.

She sighed and amended. "I guess it can't be helped…." Gracia returned her smile, and then followed Erika to the door. "Come visit more; it was a pleasure to have you."

Erika sighed with an ironic smile on her face. "If I happen to get fired or something that might be possible," she said sarcastically. "But, with this war going on I don't think I'd have the time to. But, I'd really love to visit."

Erika began to move out of the warm house into the chilly air. Looking over her shoulder she smiled as she waved goodbye. She should be getting home by now; it was close to ten and she had a _long _day tomorrow. Just as she was about to bid goodbye, something tugged on her long skirt catching her attention. She looked down, seeing the pouting face of the five year old Elicia. Her green eyes stared up at Erika's face, disappointed.

"Come back," she basically ordered, a pout on her face.

Erika giggled and bent down to her level. "Maybe sometime later."

XoXo….. The Next Day ….XoXo

_*Knock *Knock_

Erika groaned as she heard the timeless knock on the door. She lifted her head slightly, glancing at the clock on the wall. With dismay, she found it was exactly 6:45. The time she was told that someone would come by to accompany her with the trip to Rush Valley. She's only been in Central for a week, but it's already like it was before. Shoving her covers off of her body, she stuffed her feet in her slippers and shuffled lazily to her door. She was still in her pajamas, consisting of a tank top and some shorts. Luckily she learned from her last visit, which she had on shorts that reached her knees rather than her super short shorts she had on before.

"I'll be ready in fifteen minutes, hold still," she snapped at whoever was in the door. She didn't bother to look, tired from waking up.

"Well, that's a nice way to greet your superior and guard," replied a sarcastic sounding voice.

As soon as it spoke, Erika immediately recognized it. What bothered her was the fact that it said 'superior and guard.' She finally decided to open her eyes, and looked up. They widened considerably and her mouth gaped open. "General Green!" Erika thrust her arms around the individual, a bright smile on her face. "General Green, General Green! I thought that you didn't report back to Central until a month from now! Oh, I'm so glad you're back!"

The man with bright green eyes smiled as he hugged her back. "I came back because I'm needed for some meetings."

"Happy to see _you _too," said an annoyed voice. Erika turned her head to the side, identifying the other man who stood next to them. Her eyes widened upon seeing his blue eyes and messy spiked hair.

"Oh! Hey Havoc," Erika said, acknowledging him. She couldn't understand why he looked so annoyed though, but she let go of General Green anyway. "What are you doing here?"

Havoc sighed. "I'm here to escort you to Rush Valley."

Erika blinked her eyes. Looking between both men, she rolled her eyes. "Okay, well we better leave soon. Just let me ten minutes and I'll be ready to go."

"You didn't pack yet?" Havoc and General Green asked shocked.

Erika rolled her eyes. "Yes I did; _I _just need to get ready. I'm not going out to the train station in my pajamas," she replied knowingly. Erika turned to General Green and smiled. "See you later, I think I'd be gone for a week, two weeks at longest."

"Sure thing," he replied and sauntered off into the halls.

Erika turned to Havoc, who still had a glare in his eyes and a scowl. Erika raised an eyebrow, but disregarded it. "Want to come in?" Erika asked, gesturing into her dorm. Havoc walked in. Closing the door behind her, she walked into her closet. Grabbing a few items, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a nice shirt, and her signature boots that strapped on in the front and reached the middle of her calf.

Havoc raised an eyebrow to her choice of clothing. "Hey. Aren't you supposed to be wearing the uniform?" he asked, confused.

Erika gave him a dirty look. "I'm not wearing that goddamned thing even if you pay me," she hissed through her teeth. Sighing, she turned to the closet again, annoyed. "I'm on a field work assignment; there's no need to wear that stupid uniform on a field work assignment." She turned to him. "Besides, if I'm going to do this right, I'd better fit in. I don't need everyone not wanting to talk to me because I'm part of the military…." She looked down. "Nevertheless a state alchemist. So, I need to hide the thing." She gestured to her silver pocket watch that dangled from her hip.

Upon hearing Erika explain her basic plan on how to approach the assignment, Havoc's eyes widened the tiniest bit. It was an understatement to say he was just a bit surprised at the girl. For the two years he'd known her, she had grown up considerably; still maintaining her childish tendencies at times. She was mature but youthful, an adult but a teenager. It was amazing how she was portrayed in many words.

XoXo…. On the Train ….XoXo

"So, what are we going to do when we get to Rush Valley?" Havoc asked staring at the brunette who was on the verge of falling asleep again.

"Who knows…" Erika said setting her head on the windowsill of the train window.

"You mean you don't know?" Havoc exclaimed. Erika shrugged. Havoc crossed his arms over his chest. "Is this how you are all the time with missions?"

Erika opened one of her eyes and glared at him. "I am not," she growled. "I'm just a bit worn out from everything. Last night I spent all the way till 3:30 AM reading the Scar reports coming from Rush Valley. It turns out that he's been killing nonstop. Every single military officer who even raised his gun at him had his brains blown out; not only that, but every state alchemist who was assigned to find and capture Scar…." She trailed off, covering her eyes beneath her bangs. "Was reported killed.

Havoc's eyes widened as he sat back in his seat, horrified of what she had said. It was all very simple; there was no need to explain. Hanging his head, he sighed. "Great…." He muttered. He looked up at the brunette from under his bangs. "Is there _any_ point in time when you're _not_ trouble?" He asked irritably.

Erika narrowed her eyes. "Hey, it's not like I asked you to come with me!" she snapped, fighting off a smirk that threatened to appear on her lips. "And to answer your question, I'm not the trouble. Trouble finds me."

Havoc rolled his eyes. "Sure…." he murmured.

"And to answer your question again, no."

Havoc laughed, staring at the girl in front of him. This was going to be a _long _week.

XoXo…. Central HQ .…XoXo

"For four days we traveled around Central asking about the war…" Amy said, hanging her head in disappointment as she and Alphonse followed after Edward.

"But we found nothing but people shutting their doors in our faces!" Alphonse exclaimed exasperated and disappointed. No one had even answered one question they asked; and sometimes even if the war was mentioned, they just said they had nothing to say and shut the doors in their face. He sighed; now the only option was….

"I _told _you we should have just gone to Central HQ!" Ed yelled hotly, stomping in the direction of the military base.

Amy and Al sighed. Ed had been complaining nonstop since they arrived in Central. "_I'm telling you, we should just march up there and slam the door open yelling at Colonel Bastard to tell us where she is!" _Were his exact words. It became thoroughly annoying when Ed would try and sneak out at night to go to Central HQ himself. Amy was forced to using her Air Element to seal the windows and doors so he wouldn't be gone by morning. Conceding defeat, Amy hung her head. He was right; they should have done that. Doing this was just a complete waste of time. Amy walked staring down at her feet. Where was her elder sister? And why was she insisting on stopping the war? Is there some underlying reason to why she was so determined? Amy looked up at the sky, seeing a bright blue return to it as spring came. Suddenly, an idea dawned on her.

"Wait a minute!" Amy exclaimed, jumping up in the air and stopping in her tracks. Al stopped and turned while Ed just glanced over his shoulder.

"What's the problem _now?_" Ed asked irritably. Amy had been stopping constantly in the past four days with theories in getting more information on the war. Unfortunately, they proved unsuccessful due to the people refusing to speak on the matter.

Amy put up one finger. "We visited almost every house in the city, right?" she asked cheerfully. Ed and Al nodded slowly. "But there's one house we've neglected to visit." They just stared. She winked. "Here's a hint: it involves a man who is obsessed with his daughter."

Ed and Al's eyes widened. "The Hughes'!" they both exclaimed, eyes wide.

Ed hit himself in the forehead. "How the hell did I not remember them?" he muttered in annoyance.

Alphonse grinned. "Who cares? We've got a lead, Brother!" he exclaimed. He turned and kissed Amy on the cheek. "Thanks. You're amazing."

Amy's face blazed in pink at the sudden show of affection. She smiled with the blush still evident in her cheeks. "No problem," she murmured softly.

XoXo…. The Hughes' Residence ….XoXo

Alphonse and Amy waited hopefully as Edward knocked on the door awaiting a response. As they were just about to lose hope, the door opened. It revealed a smiling woman with sparkling green eyes and brown hair. "Alphonse, Edward!" she gasped smiling. "I haven't seen you two in a while! Great to see you."

"It's great to see you too, Mrs. Hughes," Alphonse replied politely. "If you don't mind, we kind of have some urgent business…"

* * *

><p>"Wow, Alphonse," Gracia breathed, eying the younger Elric in nostalgia. "I'm still not used to seeing you without your suit of armor….You're quite handsome!"<p>

Al's cheeks burned at the compliment. "…T-Thank you…" he mumbled, his blush brightening. Amy only smiled as she nudged him in the shoulder and winked. He simply just shot her a weak glare under his embarrassment. She giggled. At this, Gracia raised an eyebrow.

"And Al….who's this cute young girl sitting next to you?" Gracia asked slyly, making him blush even more.

"I'm sorry," Amy apologized. "I'm Amy. It's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Hughes. Alphonse had told me a lot about you and your family."

"Amy…" Gracia said in surprise. "As in Amy….'Evans'?"

"Um, yes. How did you know?" she asked.

"Your older sister had just dropped by not too long ago. She told me how her younger sister was dating Alphonse." The three teens jumped up in their seats. "So, your Erika's younger sister?"

"Wait, you saw Erika?" Edward exclaimed, almost jumping up. "When?"

"Just last night. It was her day off," Gracia replied. "Why? Is something the matter?"

Amy shook her head. "No; nothing's wrong. We just came into town looking for her."

"Mrs. Hughes," Edward started. "Is there any chance you can help us?"

"Help you with what," Gracia said furrowing her eyebrows. "I can't quite grasp the situation…"

"Do you happen to know anything about the war?" Alphonse asked. "It would help us greatly if you could tell us anything."

At the mention of the war, Gracia's eyes widened. Biting her bottom lip, she stood up and walked to the door. Locking it, she didn't turn around. In a low voice, she asked, "Why would you want to know about the war?"

"It's something important," Ed answered. "Do you know anything?"

Gracia sighed as she turned to look at the three teens. "What would you do if I did?" Gracia asked, sitting back down in her seat. "War is a very delicate topic, you three. I'm afraid of what you plan on doing about the information I intend to give."

"So, you know about the war?" Ed asked.

"I know the basic information." Gracia looked down. "the Fuhrer just made a law saying to not give any information on the war. We aren't allowed to talk about it in Central."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "I see….So that was why no one answered our questions."

Gracia flinched. "Wait. No one answered your questions? Have you been asking around?"

"Yes….Why? Is something wrong about that?" Al asked cautiously.

"Oh no…" Gracia whimpered. She stood up and began walking to the phone. "Look; someone is probably looking for you right about now. You need to hide somewhere."

"Why? What's wrong?" Ed asked, standing up now.

"I said that the war is a very delicate topic here in Central." Gracia handed the three teens the phone. "If you need to call someone to come and get you, please go right ahead."

"Please, before we do anything can you give us any information on the war?" Alphonse pressed.

Gracia looked down at her feet as she contemplated her options. She decided and looked up. "Edward, when you quit there were dire changes made in the military." Edward looked up at the mention of his quitting. "More and more teenagers who were around your age were suddenly recruited into the army. They're training them to become troops on the front lines. Of course, a lot of people fled to cites in the country. These laws are only enforced in Central. Why Central, I have no idea." Gracia sighed, looking down. "We're going into war with bordering countries."

"Aeruga…." Alphonse recalled, remembering when a small battle was held in Risembool.

Gracia nodded. "In the North, Briggs Fortress has Drachma under lockdown. At the Creta border in the west, people are assembling awaiting an attack. Aeruga is under surveillance," Gracia explained. _"Amestris is going out into full blown war."_

Alphonse, Amy, and Edward were put in silence at the new information. They all sat in silence, contemplating what will happen if they got involved further. It seemed to them that was no point of return forming, and they were getting closer and closer to it. Edward sighed as he ran his hand through his bangs. _What the hell are you getting yourself into, Erika? _he thought.

"Mrs. Hughes," Edward started. Gracia looked up. "Did Erika by chance tell you where she was?"

Gracia shook her head. "She just told me she was going on a business trip. She didn't tell me where."

"I see….Thank you for your help."

XoXo… Central HQ ….XoXo

"What in the hell is going on!" Ed yelled as he stormed through the halls of Central HQ. Luckily enough for him, he had brought his state alchemist pocket watch so they were allowed admittance. Ed now storming through the halls, in search of explanation for what was happening. Al and Amy had trouble following after his fast pace and were jogging behind him.

"Edward, calm down!" Amy called as she rushed to catch up to him. When he didn't reply, she groaned. He's been fired up this entire time they arrived in Central. It was starting to annoy her on how he was ignoring her. She was already rushing so she hadn't paid attention to where she was walking. She ended up slamming into someone, sending her falling. A strong pair of arms scooped her up and struggled to keep from falling themselves.

"Whoa, watch it little miss. You could get hurt if you don't pay attention to where you're walking," came a male voice. He set her upright and dusted himself off. "You almost took a header. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she reassured the man. Looking up, she thanked him. "Thank-" her voice caught in her throat, choking on her words. Her jaw dropped, her eyes widening. The man's bright green eyes widened as well, just as shocked as her.

"Amy K?" the man asked slowly.

"Ames?" Al asked, turning around. He was taken back at who was standing there.

Edward growled. "What is it now?" he snapped, turning around. His eyes widened. "General Green?" Ed asked slowly. Amy gasped as she wrapped her arms around the man.

"Uncle Percy! I thought you were dead!"

* * *

><p><strong>me: And so I do leave something for your discussion! XD<br>Amy: Uh...Ed, are you okay?**

**Ed: *grumble grumble*  
>Al: Brother...<br>Ed: *Sigh* Nikkome...I'm...I'm sorry.**

**me: *gasps* ^_^ Really? AWWW! YOU'RE FORGIVE EDO KUN! ^-^ **

**Ed: Until Next Chap!  
>me: YOU EVEN DID THAT!<strong> =:D


	22. First Day: Rush Valley

**TN: I'd like to apologize on how long I've been taking to update! This is just ridiculous! Oh, on a side note, I'm on a basket ball team! XD Not only that, but my choir teacher gave me some advice on how to imporve my key, and to get rid of my flatness FOREVER! I'm so happy!**

**Anyway, you've been waiting to long so on with the chapter! **

* * *

><p>"'Uncle Percy'?" Ed asked, finally stopped because of confusion. His confusion soon melted, however, as irritation bubbled up in him. "Quit messing around, Ames, we need to see Colonel Bastard."<p>

Ed turned around swiftly, attempting to walk back on track. Alphonse quickly hooked an arm around his brother's shoulders, pulling him back towards the group. "Hold on, Brother," Al beckoned and then turned him around to face Amy and General Green, or, as Amy puts it, Uncle Percy. "What are you talking about Ames?"

"H-He's my uncle!" Amy gasped, tightly squeezing the man in her hug. General Green's breath choked him short due to the crushing hug. "When I was little and Mom and Dad died, he was supposed to have died! Casey told me so!"

The man let out a small choking sound as Amy hugged him even tighter, something he hadn't thought possible. His youngest niece was, after all, the hugger of the family. He rubbed his niece's back, in some effort to calm her down. "Amy K, you're crushing me…" he croaked. "How about we go to my office? I'll explain everything you want to know."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "We need to go see the Colonel," he persisted, his guard up again. Somehow, something about him wasn't quite right. First he faked his death, made his only family left think he was dead, and became Erika's commanding officer. Putting her on the front lines when he had the power to stop that from happening.

General Green glanced at Edward from the corner of his eye. He sensed that he didn't trust him. Who was this kid anyway? Surveying over his face, he finally recognized him: he was the older brother of the boy who offered automail to his soldiers. He glanced back at the other boy, acknowledging him as the younger brother. He remembered that Erika was telling him of two Elric brothers who traveled with her and Amy; these must be the brothers. What could he do to show that he was not an enemy?

"I'll explain everything. I'm her superior officer, am I not?" Ed looked down. It _was _logical for him to explain. He sighed, still seeing the distrust in his golden eyes. "Would you feel better if Colonel Mustang would accompany us?"

Ed nodded, silent.

General Green sighed. "Follow me," he said and turned, disentangling himself from his niece's arms. Amy seemed a bit reluctant to let go, but she complied anyway, following him. It only took about five minutes and they arrived at wooden doors, similar to those of Mustang's. General Green told them to wait for a few minutes, to give him some time. Hesitantly, Edward allowed him to. General Green closed the doors behind him, making sure they were secure. He turned, walking to his desk. In Central was his main office; the fuehrer had instructed this one especially for him and his unit.

It was a lot more fancier than he had expected it to be. Dark gray carpeting, two couches and a coffeemaker. Multiple desks aligned down the middle, files of specific categories lying on shelves. A small typewriter in the corner that only worked half the time. Once Erika came in, that's when it became fancy. She designed bookcases implanted in the far wall when you first walk in. The first third of it consisting of military files. The second thirds consisting of fighting techniques and alchemy related texts. She painted the walls a deep shade of mahogany, saying it made the room come together. He rather preferred them blank; there was no need to make it all so fancy. Erika had insisted to decorate though. Thanks to her alterations though, it became rather nice-looking to look at. Its conspicuous nature of the room served as a mask though, because no one expects important files to be in such a prominent room.

He quickly dialed Mustang's number in the telephone, waiting for the answer. _"Mustang," _came the deep voice.

"Roy, it's me Percival," the general stated. He heard a murmur of surprise come from his friend. "The Elric brothers and Amy K are in town."

"_Is that so?" _said Mustang, a hint of irritation in his voice. It was obvious he was expecting this to happen, but not so soon. _"Where are they?"_

"Outside my office," Percival answered ironically.

Roy sighed. _"I'll be over in a few minutes." _And with that, he hung up. Percival didn't mind. He was hoping that he'd understand as quickly as this. They were comrades, after all.

He was just about to let in Edward and the others when his door flung open and they welcomed themselves in. Percival sighed. Seeing his scowl and the embarrassed looks of the two behind him, it reminded him of the younger three Evans siblings. He hadn't seen such a sight in seven to eight years. Percival sarcastically bowed to them, gesturing to the two couches in front of his desk. Alphonse and Amy made their way to the left couch, and Ed took the other. Percival walked over to the coffee-maker and poured himself a glass, preparing three others. He put on a smile, but this only made Ed scowl even more, but he didn't care.

"Coffee?" he asked, holding up a cup temptingly.

"Me and Al will take one," Amy said cheerfully, raising her hand as if she were a child. Percival nodded, and prepared the two cups. He gave the couple their coffee and leaned against his desk, casually sipping at his coffee.

"I can get you one if you like," Percival offered, cocking his head toward the coffee-maker, looking at Edward. "It's good; Erika told me how to make it." At the mention of Erika, Ed immediately popped his head up. He glanced once at the coffee-maker, but soon returned his narrowed golden eyes on him. Percival sighed. What in the world was he going to do? Almost immediately after Ed's fiery golden glare, the doorknob clicked, indicating that someone was coming in. As the door opens, Percival catches the glimpse of the fire alchemized gloves. "Roy, good to see ya!" Percival yells from across the room. _Thank God…._he thought gratefully. "Finally got here I see….Coffee?" he asked nervously.

Roy paused in the doorway for a small amount of time eyeing his comrade's nervous expression. _What in the hell…? _He brushed it off though as he caught sight of the coffee-maker and instinctively walked to it. He'd need caffeine if he was going to somewhat numb the headache that was about to ensue from dealing with a certain blond. Roy didn't even to look back at who was giving the growl. "Pleasant surprise to see you, Fullmetal," he greeted sarcastically, sipping his coffee. Another growl came from behind him along the lines of 'bastard' but that was nothing unusual. He turned his annoyed gaze toward the rugged man in front of him, raising an eyebrow for explanation.

"Well, now that you're here, we can finally begin," Percival said, clasping his hands together and facing the three teens. His experience with teens were very limited due to the eight year gap, not including the time he spent with Erika on the job. "Name's Percival Green. I'd prefer it though if you call me Percy." It was a start anyway; not a good one, but a start.

Mustang sighed upon seeing Percy fail miserably at conversation. He rolled his eyes and then directed his midnight orbs toward Edward. "What do you want now, shrimp?"

"Shut up, you egotistical bastard!" Ed snapped, turning his fiery glare towards the Colonel. Mustang just rose his eyebrows barely. Ed growled, turning to face the wall with his arms over his chest. "You know exactly why we're here."

"You two greet each other with insults all the time?" Percival asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It gets conversation to go by faster," Alphonse commented, unintentionally insulting the general's failed attempts at trying to converse. Due to Percival's dejected expression, Alphonse shook his head rapidly. "N-Not that you were bad at getting Brother to talk!" he added quickly, laughing nervously.

Amy giggled. "Uncle Percy's just been bad at talking since we were little," she added as well, making the man sweat drop.

"Okay, okay! I get it! I'm bad at talking- now what do _you_ want?" Percival ended up snapping at the grumbling blond. Ed shifted his glare from Mustang to the general but ended up sighing.

"I think you two know why we're here," Ed answered, more like snapped, and then softened his glare somewhat.

Mustang just yawned, slurping up some more of the coffee to get rid of his drowsiness. He was unusually tired today; all the work from the past nights must have caught up to him. "She's on a mission," he answered curtly. Ed opened his mouth for a reply, but Mustang cut in again. "Rush Valley."

Knowledge flared up in him, and he immediately recognized the name. A smirk adorned his face and he leaned back with ease. He looked at the general from the corner of his eye, his smirk wiped off his face. "Question is, why is Evans' uncle letting her go off to a place she never been before by herself?" he asked suspiciously.

This time it was Percy's time to glare. "If you're suggesting that I don't care about her, you couldn't be more wrong in your life," he growled, glaring at Ed. "She's with one of the more…trusted soldiers I know." Percy sighed. "He's not perfect, but he's all that was available."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'he'?"

XoXoXo

"Ha_voc_!" Erika complained, seeing him check out a brunette waitress at the nearby restaurant. A smirk was planted on his lips, a longing gaze in his eyes. His eyes slowly scanned her from her shoes up, his head cocking the more he tuned the world out. Erika groaned, hitting her forehead. She hit his arm multiple times, tried yelling in his ears, even waving a hand in front of his face. Nothing worked, but Erika remembered one particular thing that could work. She blew a stray lock of hair out of her face and then tightened her red ribbon holding up her ponytail. She marched right in front of the soldier, and with a sucked in breath, she held up her hand. Closing her eyes, she brought down her hand, slapping him straight across the face.

"YOW!" Havoc yelped in pain, cradling the side that Erika had slapped. He found himself on the floor, looking up at the girl. "What the heck was that for, Erika?" he howled in pain, rubbing his throbbing cheek.

Erika glowered down at him, sympathy showing in her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed with red as she bent down to look him in the eye. "You were in a trance so I couldn't do anything to get you out of it," she said simply, extending a hand out to the shocked soldier. "I was told by a little bird that the only way to get you out of a trance was to slap you." Havoc grumbled under his breath as he reluctantly accepted her hand. She pulled him up and she turned away from him, arms crossed. "You should pay more attention, you know. We're on a mission; not a vacation."

"You sound just like Hawkeye," Jean grumbled, dusting himself off.

She just rolled her eyes. "If I was permitted to hold a gun, then life would be just peachy."

"If you were permitted to hold a gun every single soldier in the military would cower in fear!" He retorted.

"And I would be Riza's best friend…." Erika said dazedly, imagining how everything would be if that thought became a reality. Shaking her head, she turned on heel and started walking.

Havoc blinked his eyes as he saw the retreated back of the brunette. It slowly hit him that he was supposed to be guarding her and he hurried after her, calling her name. She refused to look back at him though, and he couldn't see what had made her switch moods all of a sudden. After a few other attempts, he gave up on trying to get her to respond. In the meanwhile, Havoc took the time to look around at his surroundings. Upon every turn was an automail shop, consisting of repairs, adjustments, and the prosthetics themselves. It was clear that this was the automail hotspot of Amestris; he vaguely recalled Mustang telling him this. Havoc looked down at his clothing: a simple button up, short sleeve shirt and casual slacks. He knew how important it was of him blending in; even Erika had to wear her pedestrian clothing. He had no complaints though, and neither had she. Erika wore clothes like this when she was in Mustang's unit. He had to admit, he did miss seeing her in regular clothes. Her uniform didn't really capture her personality. And besides, although the uniform showed off her legs, she drowned in the jacket she's supposed to wear. It completely hides her figure.

Erika walked forward casually, hand in her pocket and the other pushing back the hair that fell out of her ponytail. She tried to look normal, but with a grown man following her everywhere, it was kind of hard to walk unnoticed. She felt her cheeks burn bright red after she heard an old woman whisper to her friend about the pedophile that was right behind the young girl. She felt her stomach drop as she saw how men eyed Havoc with disapproving glares and cracked their knuckles. Sure, Havoc might be a grown man and in the military, but he wouldn't stand a chance against the guys here. Gulping, she stopped dead in her tracks trying to get her act together. She knew that she had no chance at smooth talking her way out of this due to her horrible lying. How in the world was she going to clear the soldier's name from the title 'pedophile'?

Havoc stopped in confusion directly behind Erika, a bit too close from the angrier looks of the men of Rush Valley. What could she do?

A rather muscular man shook his head and threw down his towel. He cracked his hands, and then narrowed his eyes, nodding toward Havoc. "I'm going, guys. I've got a lesson to teach this guy about how we all feel about _his_ kind." He spat out the words 'his kind' with venom.

Erika gulped. He was advancing toward them, gaining the attention of the entire block. _Think fast, think fast, think fast! _Erika thought desperately, her eye twitching. She bit her bottom lip, and when she turned around, he was standing right over Havoc. Erika blanched. _I have to say _something! She thought. "Hey, there," Erika said rather steadily through the rapid pounding of her heart.

"Hello, sweetheart," the man said. "Is this guy giving you a problem?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Havoc said clueless. Erika wanted to slap herself in the face. _Just shut up and don't say a word, Havoc! _Erika mentally threatened.

"I think you know exactly what we're talking about, punk," the man said, glowering down at him.

"I'm sorry, please don't get the wrong idea," Erika said, her voice still miraculously steady.

"This guy was following you, giving you the hungry eyes," the man said simply.

"The 'hungry eyes'?"

"Please, there's not a problem," Erika insisted, shaking her head and ignoring Havoc's blank stares. "I'm absolutely positive that you will understand if you just allow me to explain." _Good start. Now just keep stalling until you get an idea._

"Explain what?" the man asked, his guard only let down by a fraction of a centimeter. His hands were still clenched tightly into fists.

"You see, this man here," Erika gestured to Havoc. "Is following me."

"That's exactly why I'm here to teach him a lesson," he said, cracking his hands again.

Erika heard Havoc gulp. "Just hold on for a second," she said, her voice finally faltering. _Shit, what now? _she thought, biting the inside of her cheek. Her eyes darted everywhere, scanning the entire perimeter of town. Her eyes landed on a family with two parents and a child in between. _Perfect! _Erika smirked internally, forbidding it from showing itself on her face. "He's my uncle!" Erika said resolutely. The man raised an eyebrow. She put on an innocent smile. "You see, this is my first time outside of my hometown. Uncle Jean, here, promised me to take me all over Amestris as his birthday present to me since he missed it last year."

The man didn't go back. "Why was he looking at you like that?" he asked skeptically.

_Shit! _Erika cursed, wanting to just run away. She shakily reached into her back pocket, though, and pulled out whatever first came to her hand, which so happened to be her wallet. "Well, that's simple," she said. "I'm the one with the money and he knows that I won't let him eat until we tour the entire town."

"So that's why he was eyeing your butt," the man grumbled under his breath. Anger flared inside of Erika and she quickly closed her hand into a fist when she heard Havoc laugh nervously. He grinned. "Have a great tour, then!"

"Thank you for your consideration!" Erika called out in monotone. As the man retreated back to his shop, Erika turned toward Havoc in robotic movements. Havoc flinched at her emotionless smile.

"W-why are you looking at me like that?" he asked shakily. Erika said nothing as she snatched his arm and dragged him along as she charged forward in fast, fierce steps. Havoc sweat dropped. "Your grip is kind of hurting me…" he said and Erika simply squeezed his arm harder. He winced at her iron grip. She drug him into a secluded area, and there she threw him in front of her, making him stumble a small bit. Havoc caught himself as he rubbed his arm.

Erika's emotionless smile stayed and then she crossed her arms over her chest. "You were staring at my butt, eh?" she asked in that fake cheery tone.

Havoc looked away as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, about that…."

She put up a hand to stop him. "Oh no. There's no need to explain." She kept the fake smile planted on her face. "I understand that you _are _a male, and males tend to have tendencies, whether or not the age of the female."

"…Tendencies?" Havoc asked nervously.

"Yes, tendencies," Erika confirmed. "And women have certain tendencies as well…" She slowly stopped smiling and finally opened her eyes. They were a deathly dark sapphire. She cracked her knuckles, a sadistic smirk crossing her face in place of the smile. "And that tendency is to teach men a lesson or two..."

XXX::: THIS SCENE HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO SOME PARTS UNSUITABLE FOR CERTAIN VIEWERS :::XXX

Shortly after tending to Havoc's bruises and relocating his shoulder, Erika and Havoc set off to get some more information, the town now thinking that he was her Uncle Jean. People also inquired about his bruises, but Erika simply said that he fell and bruised easily. With the part about him bruising easily being true, Erika had no problem lying to the people about where the bruises came from.

XoXo… Meanwhile At Central ….XoXo

"You left her with Havoc?" Ed yelled, shooting up from his seat. "That pervert?"

Mustang simply shrugged it off as he threw away his empty cup. "Sparky's sure to just hit him over the head if he tries anything. Besides, even at the age she is, she's out of his league. I made sure before the order was put."

"You were checking out my niece?" Percival shouted, horror evident in his eyes.

"Well, when she came back from the other side of the Gate, I had to admit she was pretty easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean," Roy admitted, seeming to not notice the blatant glares he was receiving.

"You sick bastard!" Both Ed and Percival yelled at the same time. They gave each other a surprised side glance but then returned their glares toward Roy.

"C-Colonel!" Alphonse stammered in the same shock. Amy was relatively silent.

"What?" Roy asked, looking around the room. "There's nothing wrong with that. As men, I think you'd all understand." He glanced over at Amy. "See? Amy's not freaking out so you shouldn't. At most, she'd should be getting mad. Sparky is _her_ sister after all."

Amy shook her head and ignored all comments of complaints. They all went at it for a few minutes, completely ignoring the objective of this trip. She sighed and then cleared her throat to gain their attention. It didn't work; she got fed up with it and then stood up. "All of you, shut up!" she shouted.

Each member of the room turned and looked at her in shock. They all knew that she never liked to cuss or even use rude remarks; shut up was one of the words Amy never liked. They all silenced themselves and stared at the fuming face of the girl. Amy sighed and threw her black locks behind her shoulder. "I'd appreciate it if you all would take a moment and stop this…._stupid _bickering. How in the world is this productive?" she asked. They all looked at their feet in shame. She sighed. "We know that she is on a business trip in Rush Valley, right? I will get the tickets for the train. But there is one problem we have. None of the three of us are members of the military, am I correct? The only state alchemists here are Erika and Colonel Mustang. Mustang is too busy dealing with his own problems. The only way we are able to get access to talking to her is having another state alchemist with her." Amy let the information sink in, and with a sarcastic movement of cupping her chin she pretended to think hard. "Hmm….I _wonder _where we can get another state alchemist?"

Roy looked up at her words. For the first time surprise registered on his face. Immediately his eyes flew toward the blond, his eyes piercing. "Is this true, Edward?" he asked.

"Did you really think that I came here just to pay a visit to you, Colonel Bastard?"

The black haired man chuckled. "I suppose it was just wishful thinking that you would come here just to get information." He turned his eyes upward. "I knew somehow that you'd get dragged into this war. Especially considering how irrevocably stupid you can be." Ed growled. "I suppose I can let you be a state alchemist again…under one condition."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "And what condition is that?"

Mustang turned and looked at him sternly. "No dying."

Ed smirked. "There's no way in hell I'm going to die before you," Ed promised. "So, am I in?"

Mustang smirked. "You've got your pocket watch, right_ Fullmetal_?"

Ed flashed the silver pocket watch. "Brought it just in case."

Alphonse smiled. "Now, that's just great! Everything's back to normal!" Al cheered. "I won't be hearing you complain about being bored anymore, Brother!"

"Shut up, Al," Ed glared playfully.

Percival cleared his throat. "One problem left."

Amy looked at him. "What problem is left? He became a state alchemist, we know where Sister is. What's left?"

"Your district. Where are you going to be stationed at?" Percy asked. The cheerful demeanor of the room changed. He sighed. "I suppose since every district already has a state alchemist you won't be anywhere near Erika. Your efforts go in vain."

Ed narrowed his eyes. "I'll find a way."

"You can't go breaking the rules, kid. You just can't," Percival said resolutely. Ed looked down. "But of course, there was that pesky past partnership my niece had…" Edward looked up in surprise. "That order was never abolished. Now, who was that partner she had? What did she call him? Hmm…Ah, I remember! It was that trouble making midget!"

"WHO YOU CALLING A MIDGET?" Ed shouted, enraged. "Look, if you plan on keeping all of your fingers, I suggest you don't call me that!"

Percival smirked. "If you plan on staying in _my _district, shorty, you're just going to have to deal with it."

" 'Shorty'!" Ed yelled.

Percival grinned. "I'm liking teasing you already! You get so mad! I see why Roy does it all the time," he said. He smirked. "As your district General, I'd suggest you train harder than you ever had in your life. We've got a few Brigs-type soldiers in my unit, so I recommend setting your grounds. Earn the respect of the unit, and you've got no problems…that's besides the actual combat you have to live up to, Fullmetal Alchemist."

XoXo…. Rush Valley ….XoXo

"Ugh, we have to find refuge _somewhere_…" Erika said, wiping the sweat from off her forehead. Even in the spring, the sun burned hotly. She heard that it got even hotter in the summer. Thanking her lucky stars that winter just passed, she refused to stop for rest. She trudged along the dirt road, glancing in all directions for any sign of an inn anywhere. She understood that Rush Valley was an automail hotspot, so for all the mechanics visiting there should be an inn _somewhere. _

Havoc and Erika had separated to cover more ground. The brunette was silently grateful for that little fact; she wasn't in the mood to get stared at for a grown man following her around everywhere. Despite the 'Uncle Jean' act they were playing, people still stared at her oddly. Erika now hated having a bodyguard; she figured it'd be easier having someone to travel with closer to her age. She did appreciate his company, to be honest he was quite funny, but sometimes she just wanted to work alone. Besides…there was only one partner for her, and he's gone.

With a jerked motion, she shook her head vigorously. _There's no time to grieve over that_, she told herself, as she'd done dozens of times over. No matter how she looked at it, she was still grieving over Edward's leave. She had no clue as to how the blond had such an impact on her. He always annoyed her to no end, they did nothing but bicker, but to top it all off….he offered her reassurance. Reassurance that there _was _things to laugh for and enjoy. To be honest, before she met him that fateful day in Ashwell, she hadn't been anything but depressed.

She sighed deeply, finally irritated with herself for being so gloomy. It hadn't occurred to her that she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking anymore. When she looked up, sky blue eyes met hers instantaneously and she fell backwards as her chest ran into the box the person was holding. With a jumbled yelp, she fell backwards along with the person she bumped into.

"Ah-" Erika yelped as her back met the dirt ground. Another scream of surprise accompanied her own as they both fell backwards and onto their butts. "Ow…" Erika murmured, rubbing her sore bottom. Looking up she smiled in sympathy,

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention!" they both exclaimed in unison. Upon hearing each other's voices they immediately looked up. Erika blinked her eyes, trying to comprehend the blond that was in front of her. Blond hair, sky blue eyes. She knew her.

"Winry!" Erika hopped up and extended a hand to her friend.

The girl smiled, and she cheerfully accepted the hand offered to her. Erika hoisted her up, and as Winry dusted herself off, Erika couldn't help but wonder how Winry was doing through the complete months that she's been gone. Of course, there was that time when Winry nursed her into health, but that was herself as Little Red. She was forced to pretend she didn't know her; why would someone she just met ask her how she was doing after some girl named Erika left? That'd be a bit too much of lying for her. She wasn't good at it, anyway. Winry was wearing her signature zip up sports bra and her working suit's top tied around her waist. Her hair at least was down and pulled back with a bandana.

"Erika, it's good to see you," Winry said cheerfully. "How've you been? It's been forever since I last saw you; that is besides the whole Aerugo attack thing…" Her eyes watered at the memory of the wounded soldiers she cared for. Their moans of pain. She pushed back the thought. "Everything okay?" she asked, happy again.

Erika smiled back. "Everything's been great since I bumped into you!" It wasn't a lie, at least. "I was getting a bit lost in this town…"

"Speaking of that, what are you doing in Rush Valley anyway?" Winry bent down to gather the things that fell out of the box she was carrying when she ran into Erika. Erika followed suit and helped her pick up the automail parts, since it was her fault after all.

"I've got a mission to do here, no biggie…" Erika plopped mechanical chords into the box. "Just some patrol, things of that nature…" It wasn't a complete lie. "What are _you_ doing here?" As soon as question left her mouth she felt stupid. This was an automail hotspot, ideal for any mechanic! No duh she'd be here!

"I work here," Winry answered. "I just became an apprentice to a long term mechanic."

Erika smiled as she stood up. "That's great! After you're done, you can finally own your own mechanic shop just like you dreamed of," she congratulated.

Winry blushed modestly as she stood up as well. "I don't know if I'll be cut out for opening my _own_ shop…"

Erika pursed her lips. "Of course you would! You're the best mechanic I know, Winry!" she persisted.

"I'm not that good," Winry denied in modesty as she walked into the shop right next to them.

Erika rolled her eyes as she followed her in. "Quit being modest for once. Be vain," Erika shrugged. "You've got nothing to lose, right?"

She laughed. "I suppose you're right."

Erika put her fist into her palm. "Oh yeah," she said, finally remembering what she should ask. "Do you know anywhere I can find an inn? I can't find one anywhere."

Winry thought for a moment but then shook her head. "Sorry. I don't think there is one. Anyone who visits Rush Valley intends on leaving right after, see family, or start working. Sorry."

"Well, damn…" Erika murmured.

"Why? Need somewhere to stay?" Winry asked.

"Actually, yeah." Erika rubbed the back of her neck. "It looks like the mission will be a couple days' worth. I needed some place to stay so I could stay in town, just in case something pops up at night."

Winry didn't even need to think on it. "You can stay with me, if you want."

"Really? That'd be-" she stopped herself short before she said anything. A brief image of the person she was traveling with flashed in her mind. She shook her head vigorously. "That'd be completely unnecessary." If Havoc ever met Winry, oh god, all hell would break loose. Just the thought of Havoc flirting with her made Erika bubble over in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Winry was _eighteen. _Just the appropriate age for being considered an adult; not to mention the legal age for….Erika's face burned at the thought of anything pertaining to _that _subject.

"There you are!"

Speak of the devil.

Immediately, Erika bounced up from her seat and into a standing position. Whatever it took, she wasn't bound to let Winry get anywhere near the man who was desperate for a single decent date. She tried playing cool, but she could tell that her poker face wasn't going out strongly at the moment. "Havoc," Erika greeted, her muscles tense. "Finally get here, did you? I thought that the town would swallow you up whole by now." She may be trying to defend her friend, but that didn't mean she wasn't able to crack a few sarcastic remarks.

Havoc just chuckled. "It _would _have swallowed me whole, but with that 'Uncle Jean' act you've put on people don't really care about me." After that, Erika's fear became a reality. He squinted his eyes and craned his neck to see behind the brunette. Defensively, Erika shifted to cover Winry. "Who's that cute blond behind you?" he asked, his voice suddenly dropping a degree lower.

She didn't want Havoc to get at that she was trying to protect her, so she answered his question, albeit a bit annoyed. "Oh, this is my _friend _Winry. It turns out that she works out here. Luckily she'd let us stay here until we finish our mission," Erika explained, making sure to emphasize the word 'friend'.

"You two are friends, huh? Figures that two pretty girls would hang out together," Havoc said smoothly. Erika found herself blushing, despite her hate for players. Did he just compliment _both _her and Winry?

Winry giggled, smiling. "Oh, quiet Havoc. I've told you before, I'm not going to fall for any of your pick-up lines," she said.

Erika blinked. "You've…told him before?" she asked, rather stupidly. "You two met before…?"

"A couple of times," Winry answered, standing up and gesturing to a backdoor. "Shall I show you your rooms?"

Erika nodded, and with Havoc on her tail, she followed Winry out of the shop and to where they will stay, still a bit antsy on how Havoc would fair being around her cute blond friend.

* * *

><p><strong>BN: And for the first time I didn't end it in some cliffhanger! I figured I didn't really need it considering how it's just settling into the new town and all. <strong>

**Oh yeah! I've been staring at my summary for the longest time, thinking that it's quite terrible seeing how the story is unfolding at the moment. I'd really appreciate it if I could get some help with creating a new summary! Pretty, pretty please~!**

**Okay, Until Next Chap! **=:D


	23. Second Day: Rush Valley

Amy had just purchased the train tickets and in her hands were three, and three only. She was contemplating whether or not to buy four, but she figured Uncle Percy needed to do some work. She smiled to herself softly as she remembered how Edward reacted to Mustang when he said that he was checking out her sister. She thought it was just adorable how he immediately got defensive. She wondered if he realizes his feelings for Erika? He puts up an act in front of people, so how does he act by himself? Amy shook her head; love was a very tricky topic. Speaking of Mustang, she remembered what he had told her, and only her and Percival.

_Mustang cleared his throat, and with a bored look on his face, he threw away his cup. "Well, if that's all you want to know about, I'd suggest you start on your plan." He walked across the room and toward the door. "Hey, Percy, Amy? Can I talk to you two for a minute?" He asked, the bored tone showing in his voice._

_Amy and Percival took a glance at each other. 'Do you know what's he wants?' Amy mouthed. The rugged man simply shrugged and walked forward, signaling Amy to follow him. Not knowing what to do, she figured there was nothing to lose and followed after them. She threw a quick glance to the Elric Brothers finding them shrugging to each other in confusion too. _

_She bit her lip as she followed Mustang out the door and shutting it closed behind her. He was still walking through the halls, so she followed him still until he stopped. Next thing she knew was walking through the halls. It took her until then to find that he was trying to find a secluded place where no military personnel was. So apparently this was especially important. Mustang finally settled into a small and unlit hall where the lights kept flickering on and off. No one would be there. _

_Mustang didn't turn around when he spoke. "This is concerning Erika." _

"_Concerning Erika with what?" Amy asked immediately. She had already lost one sibling, she wasn't planning on losing the other. Her heart was already racing and her hands clenched themselves around her father's badge for comfort. _

_Mustang leaned on a wall as he closed his eyes, not wanting to look at her terrified face. "Don't worry; it's not like she's hurt or anything. It's to do with something else. It's her superior."_

"_You're not referring to her District superior, are you?" Percival asked, already knowing where he was getting at. _

_Amy furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"_

"_So far, the State Alchemist's have two superior's: their District superior and their HQ superior," Roy explained. "The District superior really has no say in most decisions besides those involving combat and battles. Their HQ superior makes the decisions between missions, paperwork, work load, things of that nature."_

"_I'm Erika's District superior so I try to make her stay back in most battles," Percival explained. "Her HQ superior however…."_

"_Is Kimblee," Mustang finished. _

_Amy's eyes widened as she shook her head vigorously. "Wait, I thought _you_ were her superior! Why was she transferred?" Amy demanded._

"_The initial reason why Sparky was put in my care was so she would get more experience and be trained. And what's the best way to get experience in the field and be trained?" Roy asked._

"_Was to be partnered with the Fullmetal Alchemist…." Amy answered. "So, when Edward quit…"_

"_There was no need to keep her in Colonel Mustang's unit. She could be put on the front lines immediately," Percival finished. "But, then why was she put in my District? They know that we're related, don't they?"_

_Mustang nodded. "Yes, that's what got me at first too…" Mustang agreed. "But, I recalled how she hated being ordered around. She was frequently stubborn, even under my supervision."_

"_And to get her to cooperate, they put her under someone she would listen to," Amy said exasperated._

"_Her uncle," Percival sighed. "Okay, this makes sense now. But, why put her under Kimblee's supervision out of all people? Why not someone else?"_

"_The reason they didn't put her with anyone else is that Erika could easily overpower them. Kimblee's a state alchemist. And not any state alchemist; he's the Crimson Alchemist," Mustang said. "The thing putting Erika under control is his reputation. She can hate him all she wants, but she can't do a thing to stop him."_

"_Is there anything else you want to explain?" Amy asked._

"_Actually, yes. There is something." Mustang looked around to see if there was anyone else watching. He trained his eyes back on them. "I'm going to try and get Sparky back in my unit. Kimblee…well, lets say that I don't want to risk him ordering her to do something she won't be proud of. And I sense that it might be soon."_

_Amy pinched her eyebrows together. "What do you think he'll make her do?"_

_Roy sighed heavily as he looked up at the ceiling lights. "At the rate this war's going…he'll order her to kill."_

Amy growled silently. She thought that there might be a little grain of hope for the Crimson Alchemist, but from the things she's hearing she is starting to highly doubt that. There! She's decided! When she finally meets this Kimblee, she's not going to give him a handshake. That'll show him that she doesn't appreciate his presence.

She found Edward, Alphonse waiting at the train stop. Edward rather impatiently, Alphonse trying to calm him down. It was laughable of how alike Derek, her older brother, and Ed were, but she won't mention it. She skipped up to them and handed them each their train tickets while Al and Amy scurried to keep up pace with Edward.

XoXo… Rush Valley …XoXo

Erika sighed as she tore through her duffle bag for suitable clothing for the heated weather. It seemed as though all of her clothes were too warm. She passed up her warm clothing and finally settled on something she could actually wear.

She found an orange tank top that hugged her figure and defined her features. For bottoms she found some jean shorts that were only shorts because of training with Casey for the Fire Element. She was surprised that the shorts still fit her over the years, but, on the contrary, when she bought them it was sizes bigger than she was. The shorts rose a bit higher than she remembered them being scorched, showing more thigh than she normally did. Shrugging, she zipped up her duffle bag and made her way downstairs.

It was fairly early, so the sun hadn't begun to take up its normal heat. She waltzed into the small kitchen and grabbed the pink apron that hung by the doorway. Tying the apron around her waist, she opened an eye and found a rather big man in a frilly hot pink apron making breakfast. Her eyes widened in surprise, not because of the large man in a frilly hot pink apron, but the fact that someone woke up earlier than her to prepare breakfast. The man turned to her, and with a feminine wink at her, he waved her into a seat at the table.

"Oh, no honey. You're not troubling your pretty little head with cooking. In my house, you're going to be treated like a princess," the man said and Erika was surprised to find him have a very feminine voice as well. Her eyes widened in recognition and then she closed them.

"You're Garfiel, right?" Erika asked. The man nodded as he smiled. A few minutes later he set breakfast down onto the table and took a seat himself. "Thank you," Erika said smiling as she picked up her fork.

Garfiel smiled. "No worries, sweetie," he said. "If I'm not mistaken, you're Erika, aren't you?"

Erika nodded. "I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself properly. I'm Erika Violet Evans. It's nice to meet you," she said as she shook hands with him.

"No need to be so formal, sweetie." A few minutes passed in silence as they both ate breakfast. "You're an early bird, aren't you?"

Erika nodded. "Yeah. I usually make the breakfast and everything else for my little sister."

"Oh?" he asked, intrigued.

"I have a little sister named Amy. She loves my cooking so much that I just had to cook about everything," Erika explained.

"Oh, how cute~!" Garfiel squealed. "How about your parents?"

Erika fell silent. Swallowing some eggs and sipping at her orange juice, she said, almost inaudible, "My parents died when I was eleven."

Garfiel's smile dropped and so did his mood. "I am so sorry, sweetie. I had no idea. I didn't mean to upset you," he said tearfully.

Erika shook her head and smiled reassuringly. "Oh, no. It's fine. You didn't upset me; please don't beat yourself up about that," Erika said kindly. "Anyway, enough of me. You're a mechanic, right?"

"Been one since I could remember," Garfiel said cheerfully. "Winry became my apprentice about two years ago. She is one fine little lady, I may say so myself."

Erika nodded. "She is," Erika agreed. "She's my best friend. I meant her back when I was sixteen."

"And how old are you now?" he inquired.

"Seventeen. My birthday's in December," she replied.

Garfiel smiled. The silence loomed over them again as the man stared at her. He studied her for a few seconds and then tilted his head to the side. "You have very beautiful eyes, Erika."

Erika felt her cheeks heat up a little and she smiled. "T-Thank you."

"They look like little sapphires," Garfiel commented. "Winry's looks like the sky."

Erika nodded. "Yeah." She looked around. "Speaking of Winry, where is she?"

"Oh, she's probably in her room. Girl's not such of an early riser," Garfiel said as he rose from his seat and walked to the sink.

Erika picked up her own dirty dishes and handed them to Garfiel. "Sorry, but I think that the other guys sleeping here isn't much of an early riser himself."

Garfiel's eyes sparkled. "Speaking of guys, who was that cute man that walked in with you?"

"You mean Havoc?" Garfiel nodded excitedly. Erika chuckled. "He's Jean Havoc. He's my bodyguard for the time being."

"So he's a manly guy, is he?" Garfield said happily. "Oh, I can't wait to meet him."

Erika's eyes sparkled in mischief. "Oh, I think you'll positively _love _him."

A couple hours passed and finally the entire house was awake. Erika had volunteered to help Winry out with the customers and in no time the mechanics' shop was bustling with a sea of customers. While Winry tended to someone's tune-ups, Erika had gone up and grabbed her beat-up green notebook. She went back down to help Winry and Garfiel, but when she had leisure time she wrote in her song book.

Erika almost laughed out loud when Havoc met Garfiel and Garfiel was flirting a mile a minute with Havoc while all he could do was sit there, smile and nod. Unfortunately for Garfiel though, Havoc's interest was more with Erika and Winry, Winry wearing her typical tube top and jeans, Erika a tank top and jean shorts. Heck, even the male customers were more concerned with the two friends than their automail. Erika almost got fed up with all the staring coming from the guys that she almost stormed off into town, but Garfiel talked to her.

"Honey, I know it's very embarrassing to have men just come here to stare at you and Winry," Garfiel started.

Erika nodded vigorously. "Heck yeah it is! They're not even interested with the automail, and it's starting to tick me off."

Garfiel smiled. "Believe me, sweetie, it'll be fine. Winry's been dealing with this ever since she came here." Erika huffed. Garfiel leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Use it to your advantage, sweetie. Customers are coming left and right." He gestured to Erika. "Just wave it all around! If you got it, flaunt it!"

Erika didn't really like the idea, but if it made Garfiel and Winry happy, she'll do it. She spent the rest of her day flirting with guys passing by while coaxing them to try the automail. She had to admit, it sure as heck worked. She found that her flirting hadn't become rusty over the years of not doing it. All she really did was bat her eyes, play sweet and innocent, and smile every chance she got. It was the middle of the day when she decided that she'll go take a walk. Truthfully, she was tired of coaxing men into buying automail.

She set off not long after Havoc was thrown into browsing through cook books for Garfiel as to what they were going to have for dinner, even though they had just had lunch. Right before she was forced into sitting at the table and eating, she grabbed some money and went out on her walk. She walked around the city for what seemed like hours, just searching for a spot she can lay down on grass and have a picnic of sorts. She wasn't even sure they had any grass beds, or even a river. She sighed, figuring it was pointless in looking for such a thing on this desert of land. She finally succumbed into going to a plain café and sitting down at a table.

She ordered her meal and sat out in the hot sun, her only shelter from the heat being her ice cold water and umbrella. She requested a table outside where there weren't as many people around so she could get to work on her song book. She hadn't opened it in a few weeks and it started to bother her. Erika turned to the page she was working on a few weeks prior and started singing along silently to the words she had written.

"_I see in front of my eyes,_

_All of these truths and all these lies._

_As their colors go and fade away._

_Although you're close to me…_

_And your warmth covers me,_

_I can't keep these thoughts at bay…"_

"You have a nice voice."

"Wha-?" Erika yelped, jumping up from her seat and landing on the floor. "Ow…"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" said the voice, extending his hand toward her. "I'm Ling; what's your name?"

Erika took his hand and he helped her up. He had long black hair that was tied back in a low ponytail. He had on dark pants and a black jacket that opened in the front, where, she realized with a reddening face, that he was shirtless. She figured it was normal. In this heat, at least.

"Nice to meet you," she replied, and then noticed that he didn't open his eyes all though this time. She glanced over him again, and something was off about this guy. "Uh…are you, not from here?"

Ling looked surprised and he opened his eyes a little, but as soon as he opened them, he closed them and grinned. "You're really smart, lady! Yes; I'm from Xing."

"Xing…" Erika recalled hearing that Xing was the only country that wasn't attacking Amestris. "Isn't there a desert separating Amestris and Xing?"

Ling grinned. "Yep! Had to cross it."

Erika furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "But that must have been really difficult for you, right? I mean, that whole desert…Why didn't you just take the train?"

Ling shrugged indifferently as he smiled again. "I wanted to see the Xerxes ruins. I heard that they were incredible!"

Erika half smiled as she leaned back in her chair. "I've heard of those ruins. I don't think that it was worth it to cross the desert just to see them, but I can see why." Erika raised an eyebrow. "But why would _you _out of all people want to see those ruins? I hear that Xing is a great place to be right now."

"True true," he said offhandedly. Dropping his smile, he rested his hands on the table and leaned forward, opening his eyes. "But there is another reason why I crossed the desert."

Erika stiffened seeing him get serious all of a sudden. She sat up straighter. "Is that so? And what reason could that be?"

"Ooh! How many more songs do you have in here?"

Erika was caught off guard as she scrambled in her seat to grab her book. "Ahh! No, wait! Don't look through it!" Erika cried, reaching over the table and tried to grab the notebook back. Ling was quicker than she thought and he quickly pulled the book from her grasp. "I told you NO!"

" 'Rain,' huh? Between 'Undo' and 'Rewrite', I particularly have a taste for 'Rewrite'," he frowned. "But, 'I Will' is kind of depressing…"

Erika's eyes widened. How could he have read four of her songs in such a short amount of time? Wasn't his eyes closed too? Anger soon replaced her confusion. How dare he read her songs! No one is allowed to read them! It was meant for her eyes only! She growled, standing up. "How dare you!" She snatched the notebook out of his hands. "You can't go around snatching people's stuff and reading them! This is _my _private song book! Who do you think you are?" she yelled, glaring at him.

He pursed his lips. "I was only curious…."

"_And _you're a stranger! Don't go around snooping in other people's stuff!" Erika said angrily, bringing her hand up in a karate chop. Before she could swing her hand down, something caught her hand and restricted her movements.

"How dare you try to lay a finger on Lord Ling!" the person said, and Erika glanced back in the corner of her eye to see a person in black clothing and mask.

"Lord Ling?" Erika questioned, but didn't receive and answer. The person jerked her arm back, flipping her in the process. Just as she was about to land on the ground, she did a handstand and propelled herself upward again. She eased herself into a martial arts stance. "Trying to flip me? What a shame, I didn't even get to see your face," she said sarcastically, earning a growl as a response.

Erika looked up to find the person casted in black standing protectively over Ling. Ling just grinned and clapped. "Wow! You're much more agile than I thought you would be! Was that real, or just luck?"

Erika glared at him. "Oh, shut up!"

Wrong choice. The person clad in black charged forward, bringing their hand toward her face. Before they hit her across the face, she ducked down, and tried to kick the feet from under them. The person just caught her in time and jumped up and out of the way. Erika smirked as she stood back up. She pointed at the figure.

"Do you plan on showing me your face?" she called out. The person remained silent. Erika sighed. "You know, I find it highly rude that you won't even show me your face when you plan on picking a fight with me."

Her comment seemed almost nonexistent as she felt a presence behind her. She swiveled around, just in time before a knife laid contact to her neck. She jumped out of the way, and into a farther distance away from the two assailants after her. Unfortunately the knife was too close to her so it swiped across her cheek, just barely scratching it. No blood was drawn.

The second assailant seemed confused. "How did you sense me near you? I thought that the Amestrians couldn't sense chi?"

Erika just shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about, but why are you attacking me?"

They didn't respond as they both ran after her, going from both her left and right. _A double team, _Erika realized and only thought of the one thing she could do. She set her fingers in a some sort of symbol and the winds rose beneath her and lifted her up, blowing her into safety. Erika didn't want to use Arts of the Elements here, but these two were making her. Both of them appeared to be confused once more.

"Why are you guys after me? If I did something piss you off, it'd be nice to see your faces to know who exactly you are so I know what I did!" Erika called out, exasperated.

The just stared at her. "What…was that?" the second assailant asked. "That wasn't any form of Alkahestry I've ever seen."

"Alkahestry? The Xingese form of Alchemy?" Erika asked. She remembered reading about it in the Ashwell library. It focused mainly on medical purposes, and she let Amy borrow the book from her after Erika saw that she took an interest in first aid. It was roughly four years ago that she read it, but she could remember bits and pieces of the book talking of Xing.

The silence was too good to last as the two charged at her in great speed, one falling back in the shadows as the other chased her down. Erika sprinted through the city, breathing heavily as she weaved in between pedestrians. These two were like monkeys! They flipped, cart wheeled, jumped, dashed, and somersaulted their way through the city. She glanced down at her armband, seeing it glow blue. There were multiple transmutation circles carved into it, all eight representing the eight elements. Erika looked forward and realized that road was running out, so she thought furiously as she debated what to do.

"Crap, crap!" Erika shouted as she hit mountains. Dust rose up from her feet where she skid to a halt and the two who were chasing her showed no signs of exhaustion. She was surprised that the weren't according to the clothes they were wearing. They cornered her into a cliff wall. She panicked, realizing this might be her end.

"Give up, now," the second assailant had called out to her. "You cannot escape."

Erika bit her lip, realizing this might be true. She glanced around, seeing the miles of rock around them. She might be cornered, sure. But hell if she weren't trained by Casey!

She was going down fighting.

"You know, I don't see why this stupid 'Lord' of yours asked you to do this, but I hate to inform you that I'm not going to be easy!" Erika called back, earning a growl from the first assailant as he charged forward. Erika clapped her hands, pressing them to the earth below her. Her armband glowed green, making green sparks litter the place as the rock lifted her into the air and away from her attacker. Her attacker threw knives at her, and charged forward again. Erika ducked in time to avoid the knives but wasn't prepared for the kick that had been delivered to her stomach.

Erika flew off the rock pillar she made and onto the dirt floor to be charged at from the second attacker. Before she was crushed by their foot, she rolled out of the way and clapped her hands again, sending rocks flying at the person's head. She looked up in time to only barely dodge a punch coming from her previous attacker. A blast of power hit the floor, creating a hole from where her attacker tried to hit her from above.

Erika widened her eyes. "Ah, that was a close one! I could've died if that hit me!" Erika said in surprise. "That Ling may be an idiot, but he sure can choose fighters!"

Her second assailant charged back at her, and Erika clapped her hands together and sent her flying chunks of earth straight back at him. He dodged a few, being hit by a couple, sending him back and wincing in pain. He made an effort to charge at Erika again when her second assailing stopped them.

"Wait, Grandfather!" the second one called. "I can take her."

"Are you sure?" the person's grandfather called back. "She's shown to be quite troublesome."

"Please trust me, grandfather. I will take her," they replied.

_So they were related, _Erika thought. Her second attacker looked back at her, glaring darts. Without a moment's hesitation, they struck forward, and started throwing punches left and right at her. Erika only barely dodged a few and most landed painful grazes on her shoulders and arms. Her attacker kicked, and she spun, round house kicking her assailant in the stomach, sending them a few feet away.

"I got to admit," Erika said breathlessly. "For an idiot as a Lord, you're pretty good."

Her assailant growled and punched directly with their right arm, confusing Erika. It was a change of pace from their concealed attacks, and this one was direct. Erika easily caught their hand, and used their arm to flip them. They landed on their back, and tried to swipe at her feet, Erika jumping up and out of the way.

"Huh…?" Erika said silently as she tried to process what happened. Erika opened and closed her hand, remembering how the person's wrist felt. It was hard. She also realized that whenever she bad mouthed Ling, they would start to get sloppy. "I hope that bastard Ling doesn't decide to flip through my song book!" Erika called out purposely, earning her desired result. Her assailant lunged at her, trying to punch her again. She caught their wrist, and gripped it tightly, proving her theory correct.

_Automail!_

Erika smirked as she started fighting back, throwing her punches and kicks herself. Kick, swipe, kick, kick, dodge, block, kick, punch left, punch right, kick, jump, flip. The list continued and she called out again, with more ferocity behind her tone.

"I really hope your 'Lord' doesn't get upset that his servants lost," Erika said, ducking and then blocking once more. She smirked. "I just care if he decides to open up my book again," Erika smirked. "That bastard Ling can go to hell for all I care!"

That did it. Assailant 1 went berserk, grabbing a knife and slashing away at Erika like a rag doll. To be truthful, Erika did have a very difficult time dodging the attacks. Eventually, Assailant 1 threw the knife at her, and then grabbed another knife from out of their pockets. Clapping her hands, Erika narrowed her eyes, and threw out her arm, catching their wrist strongly in her hand. As a result, the knife tore through her clothing, drawing a small amount of blood. Sapphire water spewed from her hands, engulfing Assailant 1's arm completely. Sapphire sparks crackled from the water, and the assailant pulled back screaming in pain.

Assailant 1's arm fell limply at their side, and still sparked with electricity as the water stayed soaked in their automail arm. Erika could clearly see the steel prosthetic, the electricity having fried the black clothing on their arm. Erika walked forward, not afraid to step toward the person who was still trying to kill her. Assailant 1 tried to get back up and attack, but was just electrified from her automail arm and spread through their body.

Erika walked forward and snatched the mask off her attacker's face. It was a girl. Around Erika's age, maybe younger. "Don't even try," Erika said as Assailant 1 doubled over in pain. "Every time you move, the water I implanted in your automail will react to my electricity and will shock you."

The girl's grandfather, still trying to fight charged forward at Erika, grabbing her by the collar. "What did you do to her?" he demanded, looking menacingly into Erika's sapphire orbs.

"If you decide to attack me now, there will be no one to help your granddaughter," Erika said sharply. "I'm the only one besides my teacher who can break the Element Seal."

The man looked deep into Erika eyes, the glare still reflecting in his dark orbs. He sighed deeply, dropping Erika and stepping back. "Fine. Now, fix my granddaughter, gypsy."

Erika rolled her eyes. "I'm not a gypsy. I'm just an Element User," Erika replied.

"How…did you defeat me?" the girl asked breathlessly, shame showing in her eyes that she lost.

"You are angered too easily," Erika replied. "Whenever I bad mouthed Ling, you'd start to fight blindly."

"Don't insult my granddaughter!" the man yelled, stepping forward.

"I'm not insulting her," Erika said calmly. "I'm just giving her tips. That was the only flaw in her fighting; if she perfects that one flaw, I probably won't be able to win against her." Erika turned to the man. "Please, with all due respect, if you would accept my apology."

"Apology for what?" he snapped harshly.

"I didn't want to use the Elements against you. It was an unfair fight. On the contrary, I was only acting on self-defense. You attacked me with no real reason," Erika said, smiling.

The man looked surprised at her. He eventually bowed. "In that case, myself and my granddaughter are sorry as well. It was an unfair fight for two against one," he apologized in return.

"Ha ha ha! All is fair in love and war~!"

Erika growled. "Why I oughtta…." She turned to the cliff above her where a certain Xingese boy sat merrily waving at them all. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?"

"To return property!" Ling tossed a book at her and Erika scurried to catch it before it fell to the ground. "You're an amazing song writer by the way!"

Erika had flames erupt from her. "YOU SNOOPED AROUND IN MY BOOK? YOU'RE GOING TO DIE RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"

"Lord Ling…!" The girl said but ended up wincing in pain.

"L-Lan Fan!" the man yelped, bending down to the girl's level. He turned to Erika. "Please release this Element Seal you speak of!"

Erika cooled down enough to look over at the two. "Not until you tell me your name and show me your face."

The man pulled off his mask to reveal an old man. "My name is Fu and her name is Lan Fan and she is my granddaughter. Now please release the seal!"

"You're not going to attack me again?"

Fu glanced back at Ling. Ling shrugged. "Eh, why not. Don't attack her."

"There, we won't fight you. Now please release the seal," Fu pleaded.

"You need to stand back," Erika commanded and he moved on her word. Erika breathed in deeply, and the wind around them blew furiously around them. Erika bent down slowly, and gently she put her hand on Lan Fan's automail arm. Heat emanated from her hand and steam rolled out of the metal, and sparks bounced off of it. The wind stopped abruptly, and Erika stood up. "There. You can move it now."

Slowly Lan Fan began forming her hand into a fist and started flexing her arm. Erika sighed. "Well, if there's nothing else you need I'll be on my way. You ruined my shirt." Erika turned and clapped her hands. A pillar of rock shot up from the ground beneath her and shot her up into the sky. She hopped off of the rock onto the top of the cliff and it dissipated after her feet left it. Walking away, she waved behind her shoulder.

"Heyy! Where are you going!" Ling whined from behind her.

"I'm leaving, what else?" Erika asked.

"But, but…!" Ling blabbered.

"But nothing," Erika responded.

"DON'T GO!" Ling wailed, throwing his arms around her waist.

Erika yelped in surprise as she almost fell forwards. "W-What the hell do you think you're doing?" Erika yelled, red-faced.

"DON'T GO!" he wailed again.

Erika started dragging herself forward, trying to pry Ling off at the same time. "_You_ let go!" she hissed and then clapped her hands. Sapphire sparks emerged and the water blasted Ling in the face, making him slide off her. She sprinted forward in panic to get away from him.

"DON'T LEAVE!"

"GET AWAY YOU DERRANGED PERSON!" Erika shouted as she finally sprinted into town. After a few meters, she dared to glance back and no one was behind her. Sighing with relief, she slowed her pace, clutching her song book in her arms. _"You're an amazing song writer by the way!" _Erika turned red with the memory. How much did he read? Some songs she didn't really mind being read, but there were a few that were…._special _to her and someone else. It was only for her eyes…Bah! She felt embarrassed by the minute thinking about who!

Soon she saw Winry's automail shop in view and sighed with relief. She jogged her way there, smiling. "Winry, I'm ba-"

"Hello!"

Erika fell. Immediately her face went red as she pointed drastically to the certain Xingese boy sitting with Winry at the table. "W-Wha-! H-How…? I-I thought you were…! HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET HERE?"

Winry cocked her head to the side. "Do you know this person?" she asked.

"W-well, yeah!" Erika stammered.

"We're friends!" Ling chirped.

"TO HELL WE ARE!" Erika shouted. "NOW HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET HERE?"

"For someone as delicate and kind as you were in the beginning, you sure shout a lot…" Ling said confused. "To answer your question, that's a secret…"

Erika grew an anger mark. "You are starting to become a real pain, you know that?" She asked, arms crossed over her chest. "Now, why the hell are you here?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked," he said, his voice changing. Erika raised an eyebrow, confused as ever. He slowly stood up, and his eyes opened, revealing crimson orbs. He sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "That bastard Ling…How many times have I told him that _I'm _in charge?"

Erika furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait…What are you talking about?"

He grinned. "Oh, yeah. We haven't met have we, sweetheart?" he asked silkily making Erika's cheeks flush. "Name's Greed. That bastard you were just talking to was Ling. He took over last minute when we reached this town."

"Took over?"

"Oh, right…It's kind of hard to explain, but if you've got a big imagination it'll be as easy as pie," Ling…or should she say Greed, said. "We're separate. I'm Greed and that idiot you were talking to before is Ling. We share the same body."

.

.

.

.

"WINRY GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Erika shouted, standing protectively over the blond. "This guy's got some sort of split personality! I knew he was crazy, but I didn't know he was insane!"

Greed sighed. "Knew you'd react like this…And no, this is no split personality shit. We're two different people in the same body. My being is just in this idiot prince's body. We merged together when he said he wanted the Philosopher's Stone." He smirked. "Which brings me to my next question…"

In an instant he was dangerously close to Erika, and she felt his breath on her neck. Her heart stopped. His lips brushed by her ear and his words were swept across her face. "You're the Sapphire Spark Alchemist, right? Is there any way you can help me?" he whispered in pure velvet, making Erika stammer. She never thought that this was a method that could be used on her: seduction. She doesn't fall easy prey to that. But something about his voice made her just fall silent. "Come on," he said silkily. His arm brushed by her breasts and she felt her ears burn and her face turn bright red. Now she remembered why she can easily evade seduction.

She _despised_ perverts.

"Wisdom…" She whispered, making Greed raise an eyebrow in confusion. "_**KICK!" **_Greed was sent flying into the opposite wall from Winry's shop, the wall behind him exploding from the impact.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

XoXo…. Meanwhile …XoXo

Edward sighed as the afternoon sun beaded down on the three of them. It was roughly noon and the sun continued to get hotter and hotter by the minute. He was forced to take off his jacket and coat and was left in his navy blue muscle shirt. Alphonse too had to strip down into his button up short sleeve shirt. Amy simply put on a tank top and a skirt. And both of the lovers' new dress up change had them blushing red.

"We've been marching around this entire damn city and we've seen no trace of her!" Ed groaned, cursing under his breath.

"I'm sure she isn't that far away," Amy tried to sympathize. "I mean, that girl can't stay in one place. She'll turn up eventually!"

"I agree, Brother. We'll run into her," Al said, albeit unconvincingly.

A loud explosion definitely caught their attention.

"_**KICK!" **_

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"Kick…?" Amy asked confused.

"What the hell was that!" Ed growled, running off in the direction of the explosion, Amy and Al trailing behind him. Everyone they passed were standing still in shock and the debris and smoke littered the entire area. Soon enough they reached the place where the most smoke had formed. It was still covered in the smoky haze and Edward coughed, trying to see through it.

"YOU FREAKING PERVERT! I'LL KILL YOU!" A loud shrike pierced through the silence.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on just a minute!" a male voice tried to calm down the female.

"NO WAY IN HELLL!" She screeched again.

Ed looked in the direction of the most debris to find a pile of rubble where a building of some sort used to stand. A trail of some great force made a fault line in the ground leading to the pile of rubble. In the smoke sapphire sparks emerged from it, casting a bright blue light. The sound of clashing metal made the three turn their heads to the puff of smoke.

"There's only one female I know who's capable of creating this much damage…" Ed muttered, and he turned his head to the stunned Amy. "Ames! Clear the smoke!"

"E-Er, sure!" Amy stammered and then clapped her hands, creating a powerful gust of wind to blow all around them and make the smoke dissipate. Once the smoke dissipated, it was all a shock to the three of them.

There stood a brunette surrounded in flames, slashing at a Xingese man with rock hard hands with a familiar Ultimate Shield surrounding it. The girl was screaming in fury, brandishing a flame encased sword.

"S-Sister!" Amy shouted in surprise.

Erika didn't even notice her.

"I'LL FREAKING KILL YOU!" She screamed, thrashing her Elemental Sword even faster, making it difficult for even Greed to dodge.

"Evans!" Ed shouted and ran toward her….which turned out to be a dangerous mistake. Ed had to duck before she could hit him with the flaming sword.

"Calm her down!" Greed asked frantically, trying to dodge the infuriated girl's attacks.

"What'd you do!" Ed yelled/asked, trying to not get hit by the sword at the same time.

"I may have accidentally touched her breasts," Greed answered exasperatedly.

"AND THAT'S WHY YOU SHALL DIE!" Erika shouted once more, swinging her sword down. Just in time Edward had grabbed her wrist and knocked the sword out of her hands. With his free arm, he wrapped her around the waist, _trying_ to restrict her of her movements. And unfortunately not doing a great job at it.

"EVANS, IT'S ME! CALM DOWN!"

* * *

><p><strong>BN: Sorry for the wait everyone! That was a really long time too, ^-^" sorry about that! Got grounded for <em>quite <em>some time. I decided to add a little comedy at the end because it was pretty depressing in the beginning. -_-" Anyway, hope you enjoyed it!  
><strong>

**I have a new poll on my profile! It'll help me a lot if you'd look at it!**

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


	24. Third Day: Rush Valley

**I apologize greatly for my hiatus! Thankfully I found a temporary cure for Writer's Block and was able to finish it! Oh! And if you go to my bio****, I have something at the bottom for you to read. It's about the Forbidden Element. Okay, here goes!**

* * *

><p>"HE. DIES. NOW!"<p>

"Evans, calm down!" Edward yelled, holding her arms back. Oddly, she stopped moving. Did he get her to stop being pissed off? That was quick... Slowly, smoke rose from where he was holding her and heat engulfed his arms. Then a searing pain overcame him, making him drop the girl immediately. "OW! FUCK!"

"Edward, _language!" _Amy scolded.

"Now is _really _not the time to be lecturing me on cussing!" Edward yelled back, dodging flames that almost licked the side of his face. "EVANS, CALM THE FUCK DOWN!"

"THAT'S IT!" Amy shouted and stepped toward him. She _detested _the F-word. In fact, she hated ALL cussing. When she was training with Casey, whenever she cussed, a certain punishment was dished out depending on the intensity of the cuss word. Same for Erika, though the teaching never really stuck as strongly as it did for Amy. "Wisdom Chop lesson three: _NO CUSSING_!" The sixteen year old announced, taking grasp of Ed's hand and pulled him towards the pissed off brunette...

Placing his hand on Erika's breast.

Edward's face burned red as his hand was frozen on Erika's chest. He looked frantically at both Amy and Erika, his face eternally red. "_W-What _the _**HELL**_ A-Amy!" Ed's stammered.

She tossed her head to the side with a 'humph.' "This is your punishment for saying the F-word. I told you to stop, but you didn't listen, and this is your punishment."

Everything went silent.

Erika's entire face glowed red as all of her body ceased to move. She robotically turned her head to the blonde with an emotionless face. "A-Ah….."

"Oh crap…"

"_**EDWARD, YOU FREAKING PERVERT!"**_

* * *

><p>"I hope you have a good reason for coming here, you jerk," Erika snapped, crossing her arms over her chest protectively, a luminescent blush still on her cheeks. She glared at both men in front of her, one a blonde with a bright hand mark on his face and the other a Xingese man with a big fist mark on his cheek.<p>

"Why the hell did _he_ get away with a slap and _I _got punched in the jaw! His was a full on grope and mine was a quick touch!" Greed barked, irritation showing on his face.

Erika's blush got a little bit brighter, but she just turned her head away quickly. "T-That's a different situation! I'm asking why you two are here," the brunette rushed, not daring to look either of them in the eye. She tapped her foot impatiently on the floor. "_Well?" _

Ed ran his hand through his bangs, looking to the side. Crap, what should he say? If he tells her now that he joined the military to come and save her, what will the reaction be? After all, she's still pretty steamed about the previous situation. He refused to make any eye contact. "That's confidential..." he mumbled. It wasn't a good save, but it'll hold for now.

A vein in Erika's forehead bulged as she stood up quickly with her eyes glaring daggers. "Nuh-uh! I'm not buying that shit; tell me the damn truth! I don't freaking care if it's "confidential", tell me! It's not like you have any military secrets to keep from me since you quit," Erika yelled, sapphire orbs flaming. When the blonde remained silent, she growled and glowered down at him as he refused any eye contact. With a reluctant irritated sigh, she turned her head to Greed. "Let Ling take over."

"Hell no! Who do you think you are to be bossing me around?" Greed countered, glaring at her. Erika fumed.

"I'll boss you around as much as I want!" She shouted, eyes in rage. "Since this afternoon all that's happened to me was getting ogled by some guys to get this shop a buck, getting attacked by these crazy ninja people, having my song book be read and violate my privacy, and then _groped _by you and this jerk," she glared in Ed's direction, "who _so happened _to come here to Rush Valley on some 'confidential business' that he doesn't trust me enough to tell what the _hell_ is going on," she changed her eyes to Greed again, "so I think I deserve some goddamn respect for _once_ in this hell-hole of a day, so _please,"_ Erika said, her eyes softening, "If you would just show me this _one_ kindness, I'll greatly appreciate it."

Greed blinked his eyes, staring at Erika's pleading face. A smirk adorned his face as he put his hands behind his head. "Damn, sweetheart. What type of luck do you have?" he asked tauntingly. Once he saw Erika's eyes watering, he sighed. "Fine, I'll do it. But only for a little while, then I'm coming back." He bowed his head for a few moments, not saying a word.

After about a minute, Erika raised an eyebrow. "Ling? You there?"

"Ah~! Song girl!" Greed, or Ling she should say, exclaimed. "You wanted me to come on out? I thought you hated me?"

Erika sighed. "My name's Erika, not 'Song Girl.' I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, I was just having a _really _bad day," she said, suppressing the urge to say it was partly his fault. "I prefer talking to you over Greed, anyway." She sat down with an exhale of relief, crossing her legs.

Ed was surprised. Was she actually apologizing? She rarely did that; or was he just not paying attention before? He wasn't sure what happened between her and Ling, but he's pretty sure the 'crazy ninja people' Erika was talking about was referring to Lan Fan and Fu. And judging by Ling's nickname 'Song Girl', he was the one to read her song book. Ed shuddered. That was the _last _thing you should ever do, unless, of course, you wanted to die. "Hey, Erika—" Ed started.

"So, Ling, since we started over, can you tell me why you're here in the first place?" Erika asked, obviously ignoring Ed. He sweat dropped.

"Hm? Why I'm here?" Ling asked, cocking his head to one side. "What do you mean?"

"The reason for coming to Amestris. I heard Xing is just a great place to be while we're out in full-time war," Erika explained. "So, why? Need something?"

Ling's smile disappeared. "It's great you would ask that," he said mysteriously. Erika cocked an eyebrow as he opened his eyes, staring right into hers. "You are aware of Xing's rivaling clans, am I right? Well, let's say that the Yao Clan is _very _important to me…"

"And…?"

In a flash a kunai was aimed at Erika's neck, the masked fighter from earlier right behind her.

"Would you possibly know anything about the Philosopher's Stone?" Ling asked. She glanced once down at the knife and her face paled for just a second. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the Xingese prince.

"LING—!"

"And why would you want to know anything about it?" Erika asked calmly, effectively cutting off Edward. Ed flinched. Was she still going to ignore him even now?

Ling smirked. "So you do know something about it? Tell me and I might show mercy."

"You never answered my question." She was starting to get nervous, especially since the kunai was beginning to dig further into the side of her neck. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood, however there would still be a small engraving from where it was planted for about a day. She looked into Ling's eyes, hoping to convince him to tell her his reason through her eyes.

He just chuckled. "I'm searching for a way to immortality," the Xingese prince responded.

Erika snorted, suddenly indignant at the reply. "Your type are so typical…You blab on and on about gaining so much power and go to any lengths to make sure you have it, but once you get it you don't know how to use it," she scoffed. All nervousness evaporated in her at that point. "You might as well call off your guard dog because I know you're not going to hurt me."

Ling's brows rose. "And how do you know that I'm not?"

Erika chuckled, despite herself. These types of people are the ones she is annoyed with most, especially since those were the ones that were after her most of her life. "Must I explain?" she asked rhetorically. "If you're going to ask me about that damn stone, you're just going to talk to a wall. That stone only leads to hell, and I don't plan on following it there."

"So you don't know anything?" Ling asked again.

"If anything, you should ask _that _guy over there if you want to know something useful. If I explain anything I'll just confuse you," Erika replied, not even pointing a finger at Edward.

"_Try me."_

When Erika smirked, Ed's eyes widened. What was she thinking? She couldn't be telling him about the Eyes of the Soul, is she? If Ling finds out about it, he'll kidnap her and head off to Xing without a second thought! What the hell is going on in her damn head this time!

"_Anima_ is the Forbidden _Elementa_ and is in sync with the _Spiritus Regni_. Within the _Spiritus Regni _is the border between the three Gates of _Caelum, Infernum, et Terra_. Whenever the borders are forcefully opened, _Oculis Anima _are taken from reality and are conducted into the purgatory of _Terra_ and the three gateways. Once within, the _spiritu et anima _are separated from one another, the _corpore et animo _is left in complete, pointless matter and must wait for the _Spiritu et Anima _to connect to one other once again, coming into harmony with the other _Elementa_. _Differentia spiritus et animae _is what is created equal once _animo concordiam _is ensured. Once that is accomplished, _portae immortalitatis aperiam._" Erika closed her eyes once she saw Ling's white face. "Does that answer your question?"

"Um, well…er…" Ling stammered.

Amy smiled. "Sister, you got better at the _Lingua Elementorum!" _

Erika smiled back and didn't respond, allowing her words to resound in the stubborn lord's head. She's been studying Latin, the language of Arts of the Elements, for years, yet she can't ever be as good as her younger sister. Amy's fluent in Latin and can uphold debates and discussions in the language if necessary; Erika however only knows the few terms that are most important. Annoyed by the silence, Lan Fan made a sound of irritancy.

"My lord, shall I put an end to her?" Lan Fan asked, happily obliged to repay the brunette for shaming her in front of her master by ruining her auto mail.

"…No. It's alright," Ling replied, to the much exasperation of his servant. He winced in pain, covering his face. "Besides…Greed's starting to take over again…" He looked up at his guard with a wry smile on his face. "I'll see you when I can, okay?"

Lan Fan clenched her hands into fists at the understanding. She sighed deeply, and let go of her grip, taking the kunai from Erika's neck and placing it in her pocket. "Yes, my lord…" she answered reluctantly.

Ling groaned in pain, and then sat up straight. He rolled his neck, cracking it in the process. "…_Damn_ it! Would he quit fighting me all the damn time?" Ling, now Greed, complained. Erika sighed deeply, making him smirk back at her. "What? I told you, sweetheart, only for a little while. Then I was coming back. Got everything you needed?"

Erika nodded and stood up. "Yeah. I did," she replied, in…sadness? "I'm going for a walk. See you all later."

"I'll come with you," Ed answered immediately, standing up.

She glared at him. "_Alone."_

Ed flinched. Crap, what did he do this time?

"Are you sure, Sister?" Amy asked delicately. "Should I go with you?"

"No, it's fine. I need to ask around for…" She looked in Edward's direction and diverted her eyes before he could have eye contact. _Why is he so stubborn? _she thought absently. "Never mind. It's confidential." Her words were directed at him, he could tell. "If Havoc comes by, tell him that I'm out on my assignment." Erika turned and started to walk out.

"How about that cute blond girl?" Greed asked with his smirk still on his face.

She stopped without turning around, looking down so that her hair would frame over her face. "Elric hasn't seen her in a while, so he can talk to her. Besides, maybe he'll tell _her _why he's here." Her voice was suddenly soft and delicate, almost sounding like a puppy that have been kicked one too many times. Swallowing down her emotions, she started out the garage with her pace quickened.

"Hey, wai—" She didn't give Ed the time to finish his sentence as she clapped her hands and allowed the earth to shoot her off into the reddening sky. Ed groaned as he ran his hand through his hair. He just had to piss her off, didn't he? He came here to help her, but what did he do? He pissed her off. And now she's gone off somewhere and he doesn't even know where.

"Brother, why did you tell her it was confidential?" Alphonse asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, I panicked! She was already in a bad mood, what if what I told her made her in an even worse mood?" Ed tried to reason. "She might drag me to HQ and force me to quit! Or worse, reject my help!"

Amy clenched her hands into fists, angered by the criticality of Edward not telling Erika about why he was here. She wasn't typically upset easily; in fact, she was pretty emotionally stable for all the crap she gets and has to deal with made by other people. She would rarely snap or even get a little upset at something, especially at things like this. Normally she'd try her best to implore the other to solve the problem with a little push from her.

However, Amy was trying to keep her anger down for the past few minutes. He didn't want to make Erika even more upset, that was understandable. Telling her why they were there had an unknown consequence, that was understandable. Erika and Ed weren't exactly on the same plain of viewing things at the moment, that was understandable. But saying that their reasoning for being here was confidential when they've been partners for two years now? No, that was NOT understandable. Amy was trying to keep the reasons at an equal interpretation in her head for quite a while now, and all those thoughts just flew right out the window.

"DANG IT, EDWARD!" Amy yelled, standing up quickly. "Do you any idea how Erika feels right about now?!"

"Yeah, yeah! I know I pissed her off, you don't have to tell me twice!" Ed responded.

"No, you don't get it!" Amy clarified straightly, poking him in the chest. "How long have you two been partners for? Two years right about now, right? You trust her, right?" Amy asked, getting even more apprehensive every second.

"Of course I do!"

"It sure doesn't seem like it," Amy retorted, eyes turning into those of an abandoned puppy. "Now tell me: Did you trust her enough to tell her why you're here?" Amy let her words sink in for a few moments before calming down a little bit. She hated when her emotions got the better of her, so she began to wipe at her eyes furiously, swiping away imaginary tears. It was a bad habit of hers starting since childhood. "If I were in her position, I'd feel pretty hurt right now." She didn't let Edward respond as she pointed in the direction her sister went. "NOW GET OFF YOUR SCRAWNY BUTT AND GO TO HER!"

Ed merely ran in the direction she was pointing to in pure shock. Was there ever a time she yelled at him, really?

Alphonse merely looked at the small girl in front of him with raised eyebrows as his brother scrambled off. He delicately put a hand on her shoulder, feeling her muscles loosen. "Are you alright, Amy?" Alphonse asked.

She whirled around, a bright smile adorning her features. "I'm a whole lot better now; why do you ask?"

Al sighed, figuring bipolar-like qualities run in the Evans family. "You're not in the least worried about Brother and Erika?" he asked.

"I am and was," she replied cryptically. When Alphonse looked at her incredulously, she began to explain. "I am worried about the work Erika does in the military. However, I'm no longer worried about the rift between Edward and my sister; I'm sure that Erika's cooling down right about now."

"You sure about just leaving them to figure this out on their own?" he asked skeptically.

"We have to let them grow up and solve this stupid cat and dog disagreement between themselves sooner or later," Amy reasoned. "Besides, I want to talk to Winry when she gets back. I haven't seen her in forever!"

Alphonse laughed seeing her innocent smiling face. Hopefully she was right about letting them grow up; after all, they're almost adults now. They don't need them to help them like this anymore.

* * *

><p>Erika blew her bangs out of her face as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She already asked around and the only answers she got were 'I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about.' Apparently the Scar sightings were either a huge misunderstanding or he was being very cautious of his whereabouts. And according to the files of how Scar worked, it didn't seem like the second option. The piece of her bangs that was in front of her face got in her way again and she pushed it out of her eyes again. Her bangs were getting pretty long, not to mention her hair. Maybe she should get a hair cut or something soon. For now it wasn't much of a bother but later it would.<p>

Her mind kept back tracking to when she completely dissed Edward back at the garage. "Maybe I was a bit harsh on him…" she mumbled into the sky. After all, everyone deserved to have secrets. He doesn't have to tell her everything. She sighed heavily. She was going to have to apologize later.

Heavy breathing and loud footsteps made her look back in confusion.

"Erika...Hey…" Edward huffed, leaning on a rock to support his weight.

The brunette blinked her eyes. What was he doing here? She figured he was too pissed at her to even bother looking for her. "Hi?" she started awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you; isn't that obvious?" he stated, walking toward her and plopping down next to her. His legs dangled from the ledge of the cliff and he peered down to the canyon below. "Why are you all the way over here? I was looking all over town for you! I was beginning to think that you just boarded a train and went off to the next city."

Erika simply shook her head and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you really think I'd be so stuck up as to leave without any consent?" she asked sharply.

"No; that's not what I meant!" Ed responded immediately. "Dammit, I would never think that!"

"Then why did you think I boarded a train?" she asked incredulously.

He slapped his forehead. "I was just trying to find some sort of solution for why I couldn't find you!"

She leaned back so her weight was on her hands. "I said I was going on some business. Why would I be in Rush Valley if my business wasn't here?"

"Damn it, that wasn't what I meant! Could you get off this topic; you're getting really annoying!" Ed yelled. "I was looking for your stupid ass, so can you just let me worry about you in peace?"

She glared at him. "Oh, now I'm stupid? I was just trying to have some damn conversation with you without having to be mad at you for once!" she yelled back.

"Well, if you wouldn't piss me off right off the bat maybe we could! But no, you have to go on being—!"

"Being _what_?" she challenged.

"Being such a damn Hot Head!" he retorted, glaring at her.

She sat up straight again and poked him in the chest. "_I'm_ the hot head?! Have you listened to yourself lately? You're not exactly the victim here!"

"Like you're one to talk! All you ever do is get pissed at me for the stupidest reasons!"

"You moronic dwarf!"

"Raging baby!"

"Inconsiderate shrimp!"

"Overly-sensitive hot head!"

At this point they were both nose to nose, glaring daggers into one another's eyes. They were both growling in anger and their faces contorted in annoyance. As soon as Erika realized what she was doing, she blinked her eyes and unclenched her fists. Was she really going to start arguing with him now at of all times? Not knowing what else to do, she rushed out her thoughts. "I'm sorry," she said honestly.

Ed's eyes softened into confusion. "What?"

"I'm so, incredibly sorry!" Erika exclaimed, looking down into the canyon. "You're right; all I ever do is just get pissed at every little thing that happens and I make you feel so bad every time. I know that I can be too moody or too sensitive and you always seem to take the brunt of that." Erika sighed as she twiddled her thumbs, trying not to make contact with the blonde. "I don't need to know every single secret you've got; sorry if I made you feel obligated to tell me. I was just having a _really _bad day; I'm sorry."

Ed ran a hand through his bangs as she finished. Is that really how she thinks about all this? Honestly, it did piss him off every time she would run off after every little thing. But not so much that he wouldn't go look for her. Here they were again, trying to resolve a problem they've created by themselves. Then a realization hit him. "Wait a minute!" he suddenly exclaimed, pinching her cheek.

"Whaa?" she asked, having to slouch slightly from him pulling on her cheek.

"How come _you_ get to apologize first?" he asked in irritation. "I came all this way to apologize and you beat me to it!"

"Beat _you_ to it? I figured _I_ should've been the one to apologize!" she responded.

He groaned in aggravation as he pulled on her cheek harder. "I KNOW THAT, BUT I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TOO, DAMN IT! AND YOU WENT UP AND TOOK THE GLORY ALL FOR YOURSELF!"

"OW, OW, OW! YOU'RE PULLING TOO HARD, LET GO!"

"I CAN PULL AS HARD AS I WANT TO!"

"EDWARD, THAT HUURTTSSS!'

"YEAH, WELL SO DOES MY PRIDE!"

* * *

><p>"So, why are you all the way at Rush Valley, anyway?" Ed asked.<p>

"Oh, that…" Erika sighed. She pulled one knee up to her chest and let the other leg dangle off the edge of the cliff. She guessed now was better than never to tell him. "I'm on a field work assignment."

"Field work? I thought that you weren't supposed to do that," Ed replied in disbelief.

She looked at him sharply. "I'm not your little puppy anymore. When you quit, I was put on a full-time job; no partner meant no more halved shifts," Erika explained. "Since I'm under Kimblee's district I have to investigate anything he gives me. Apparently he's looking for Scar."

"Scar?!" Ed asked in surprise. "What would Scar be doing here in Rush Valley?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Erika agreed. "I think I'm just going to write up my report and go back to HQ. This trip was pointless; there's no sign of him here!" She sighed. "I think Kimblee just likes to piss me off by sending me places where I'm not even needed."

Much to Erika's surprise a red stream of lightning erupted in between her and Edward, bringing up pulverized rocks in the process, blinding them both momentarily. She coughed while covering her mouth, straining her eyes to see if Edward was alright. "Ed! Can ya hear me?"

"Yeah!" came his distant reply.

"You said Kimblee," a stray voice growled. "The Crimson Alchemist, you know him!"

"What?" Erika yelped in confusion.

"You know him!" the voice growled once again and suddenly a hand constricted itself around her throat, lifting her off the ground by at least a foot. "You said his name, I heard you!"

Erika coughed to try to catch her breath. "I don't…understand…" she croaked, trying to claw some oxygen into her lungs again.

"The Crimson Alchemist, Kimblee!" the voice demanded again, and the smoke of dirt finally dissipated. Erika gaped in shock, her sapphire eyes growing into steel.

It was Scar.

Edward grunted as he staggered his other hand onto the rock cliff. When the flying rocks came, he was shoved back a few feet and off the cliff. It was sheer luck he was able to get a hold on the ledge before he fell to his demise. When he looked up, his eyes widened in surprise. There was Erika, being lifted over the edge of the cliff by none other than Scar. "ERIKA! Don't do anything stupid! I'm coming!"

Erika couldn't afford to wait for him. Before she would die of suffocation, she swung her body backward and forward, using her momentum to wrap her legs around Scar's arm. He was about to use his alchemy but Erika twisted her body so that the arm that was strangling her would contort into a very uncomfortable position. Unfortunately, the grip on her neck stayed. As a last attempt, she used all her leg strength to push off of Scar's body, making him stagger backward and her go flying in the opposite direction.

"ERIKA!" Edward called, staring in disbelief as she flew off the cliff. He let go of his grip on the cliff by impulse and kicked his way off so that he would be pushed closer to where Erika was falling. He clapped his hands and pressed them to the rock wall, creating an earthen hand to shoot out. Erika landed roughly on it, her eyes shutting closed and her head rebounding off the ground. Ed dragged his feet on the wall, making him slide slower and slower. He jumped off and onto the hand, skidding to a stop next to the brunette. He lifted her up by her shoulders, jerking her eyes open.

"I told you not to do something stupid," he said angrily, glaring at her.

"Out of everything you can choose to catch me, you choose a rock?" Erika asked, rubbing the back of her head gently with a soft glare.

Ed half smiled in relief. "It was all I could think of at the moment."

"I'm going to have a huge headache later," she complained, just making Ed laugh.

However, as soon as Scar landed with a loud thump a few feet away from them, all joking around died at that moment. "You didn't answer my question, girl. How do you know him!"

"Nice seeing you again, Scar," Erika commented snidely, shoving herself up. "I was beginning to think I'd never see you."

"Answer me!" he snarled.

Her eyes darkened. "Kimblee's my commanding officer; no matter how much I dislike the fact."

Scar's hands clenched into tight fists. "Who _are_ you?"

She swallowed. "Erika Violet Evans. Don't you remember me?" she asked steadily, trying to keep her voice from faltering.

Scar's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she asked. Unfortunately for him, she couldn't wait forever. Erika clapped her hands making her armband glow green and pressed them to the ground, rock shooting her up into the darkening sky, pulling Edward along with her. Scar stopped thinking and shot on after her, climbing onto the rock pillar she created.

"What's the plan?" Ed called, looking down at the figure below who was advancing quickly.

"You're gonna get Ames and everyone you can outta here," Erika explained.

"And afterwards…?" he implored.

"And I'll try not to get killed long enough for you and everyone to escape," she said uneasily.

"THAT'S A TERRIBLE PLAN!"

"I DON'T SEE YOU COMIN' UP WITH ANYTHING!"

As Erika lost concentration, the rock pillar began to disintegrate, leaving all three of them in a disastrous situation. She let out a scream of fear until a pair of arms tangled themselves around her waist and shoved her to the ground. The air vanished from her lungs, leaving her there coughing and straining to see through the dust cloud that surrounded her. When she opened her eyes, she saw Edward hauling her up to her feet and continued to run. She growled. "I thought I told you to leave Scar to me!"

"And I thought I told you that I won't let you die on me!" he countered, effectively hushing the brunette. She simply clenched her hands into fists. "Okay, then, since you're obviously not going to come up with any good plans, let's do this one: We both stick together and not back down. We take Scar on together."

"But what if you get hurt?!" she yelled. "I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you!"

"DAMN IT!" Edward suddenly skidded to a halt and turned around to face her. Erika stumbled forward and into his chest, unprepared for the sudden stop. She looked up only to see his golden orbs flaring. "Don't you think that _I_ wouldn't forgive myself if _you_ got killed?! What did you promise me: That you won't die!"

"But…"

"And I don't care what you say! I'm holding you to it!" he yelled, glaring at her.

All Erika could do was stare. Did he really remember that? For sure she thought that as soon as he found out about the war that there was nothing they could do to prevent her inevitable death. Slowly, water started to well up in her eyes but she blinked them away. _I can't cry… _"It's a sign of weakness."

Ed blinked his eyes. "What?"

"It's a sign of weakness…" she smiled up at him. "It's a sign of weakness to cry in front of their partner. _Even_ if their partner quit."

Ed flinched. "About that, Erika…"

Red alchemical currents ran between them as rock shot up, throwing them into the air. Edward let out a yelp of surprise as he propelled himself on his hands and bounced back onto his feet. He turned and glared at the Ishballan man. _He doesn't know when to quit! _Edward thought in frustration. He looked in the corner of his eye to see if Erika was alright to find her growling in anger. Subconsciously he chuckled at it. He missed her fiery personality, no matter how annoying.

"You are State Alchemist Sapphire Spark, am I correct?" Scar stated, rather than asked.

"Sorry; it must have been harder for you to realize it since I used earth alchemy, huh?" she asked politely, albeit sarcastically. "Allow me to show you _why _they call me Sapphire Spark." Without further ado, she clapped her hands and slammed them down on the ground. Sapphire sparks spewed from the floor, the blue alchemical current running down the floor as fast as lightning. It exploded at Scar's feet, electrical flares attacking his body. He screamed in pain, causing Erika to flinch in surprise and lose concentration. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily, along with Erika.

Ed blinked his eyes in surprise. "Have you been practicing?" he asked incredulously.

Erika nodded with a weak smile. "Yeah; I had to practice on controlling the electricity by using my own energy and power. So if I'm tired, it's normal," she explained, breathing heavily. "Why?"

"You've improved _greatly!"_

"Are you trying to say that I was bad before?!"

Scar simply leapt back up and looked angry. "I shall return you to the face of God," he announced dangerously running straight towards Erika. She squeaked once and clumsily dodged to the side. Scar turned quickly with his right arm outstretched. She sucked in a breath, and did something that Ed nearly choked himself over. She _grabbed _his right hand.

"ERIKA, DAMN IT!" the blonde screeched.

She ignored him and elbowed Scar in the inside of his arm, making it bend while she held on sharply to his wrist. She turned so that she was pressed up against him, his arm twisted awkwardly so that if he tried to destroy the brunette, he would destroy part of himself in the process. When she felt Scar freeze in place, she sighed in relief, wanting to fall to her knees but knowing that wasn't an option.

"Ed, now!" she ordered, making Ed jump and clap his hands, pressing them to the ground.

An earthen fist snaked itself around Scar's body, immobilizing him. It pinned his right hand in the same position Erika had left it in and his other arm down by his side. Erika spun herself out of Scar's grasp and fell down in exhaustion. She panted while looking up at the Ishballan who had previously tried to kill her.

Edward ran up to her. "You dumbass! Do you any idea what could've happened to you if Scar managed to overpower you?!"

Erika gasped for air as she stood up weakly. "But if I hadn't done that, Scar could've killed me outright in the range he was in," she shot back, looking him in the eye. "Bear in mind that I have been training to be a _soldier _as a piece in war; they taught me if I do the spontaneous, the enemy will never suspect it."

"BUT—"

"Edward, you don't know what I've been through!" Erika exclaimed, hushing the blonde in the process. "You weren't there to see; just trust me, alright?"

"If he had—"

"There are two sides of combat," Erika interjected. "the success and the risk. In order to win or fail, you have to take a risk."

Edward muttered a few choice words under his breath but nonetheless turned his head away stubbornly. "…Fine," he conceded, still grumbling complaints under his breath.

Erika sighed and inclined her head towards Scar. "So…" she started. "Do you remember me?"

"I have seen many faces, girl," he said sternly. "Faces of terror, hatred, and fear are plagued in my mind. However all of their eyes were different. I remember eyes, not names."

She simply stared back at him with little expression change. "Then, look at my eyes," she said, stepping closer toward him. " 'Judgment for what? Protecting someone I freaking care about!' " Erika exclaimed suddenly and burned her sapphire orbs in his crimson ones. Slowly a blue dragon began spiraling in the place of her pupils, giving off a faint glow. " 'He's my partner and friend. I swear on my grave that I'll be damned before I let someone like you kill him in front of me.' " Scar stiffened as his eyes widened into saucers, his face becoming emotionless as he looked off into space.

Erika breathed deeply out, crashing to the ground.

"ERIKA!" Ed shouted in alarm as he rushed up to meet her, lifting her up from the ground. "Erika! Wake up!" He shouted, shaking the girl awake. She simply reached out and connected her fist with his cheek, making him growl slightly in pain. Nonetheless, he was still worried. "Are you alright?" he asked. "What happened?"

Erika breathed heavily, even heavier than before. It was strange. He hadn't seen her so out of energy before, yet it seemed oddly familiar. "I'm…fine," she managed. She opened her eyes slowly, the dragon that was once so distinct in her pupils strangely melded back in her sapphire orbs. "I reached out into the Spirit Realm and pulled out a memory…He's reliving it right now…"

Upon seeing Erika's weak and awkward smile, Ed couldn't help but give off a small laugh. He couldn't shake off the anxiety he felt about her using her Eyes of the Soul, especially seeing the toll she suffers, but at the moment he was wondering if it would really benefit for Scar to remember her and his first encounter.

Scar seemed to snap out of his memory. "You…you're that young girl," he said in remembrance.

"Yeah, I am," Erika replied, sitting upright against Ed's protests. "And I hope that you understand my intentions are good." She closed her eyes and breathed out deeply, the restraints that Ed created glowing green and turning back into dirt.

"Hey!"

Scar dropped to the ground, rubbing his arms and sore body. "You are…releasing me?"

"Now go before I change my mind," she said tiredly. He looked at her in question so she simply sighed while looking away from him. "My father set his life out on the line to save your people…you should be worth something if he did that for you."

Scar looked down in understanding. "I see…I would thank you, but I am assuming you wouldn't want my thanks. Goodbye, young girl." Erika didn't respond. He took her silence as the invitation to leave. Before he did, however, she needed to do something.

"His name was Michael. Michael Evans."

Scar stopped but did not turn around. Then he left.

Edward growled and looked down at the brunette. "Why did you let him escape?! He tried to kill you and you're letting him go?" he yelled, looking at her. When she said nothing, he sighed in exasperation. "But…I guess you do have your reasons."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks for understanding," she said cheerfully. Then she looked to the side with embarrassment displayed on her face. "Um…"

"Hm?"

"Do you mind…uh…"

"Just spit it out already."

"Can you carry me back? Using the Eyes of the Soul made me lose feeling in my legs."

Ed groaned loudly. "You're such a hassle!" Nonetheless, though, he picked her up bridal style and started walking back to the shop.

* * *

><p>"Ho Ho!" Greed exclaimed once he saw Ed carrying Erika bridal style back. "Finally make a move on her, pipsqueak?"<p>

"WHO YOU CALLING A PIPSQUEAK?" He busted out, glaring at him. And then when what he said settled in his head, he looked to the side with a bright red blush. "I-It's not like that at all!"

"Edward!" Winry exclaimed, running up to meet him. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of Erika. "Erika? Why are you being carried by…?"

"I lost feeling in my legs," she answered.

"Oh…" She quickly looked back at Ed, her face fuming. "You did something reckless again, didn't you?"

His face paled. "Well, something like that…."

"And you dragged Erika into it too. You are so typical," she remarked, arms crossed.

"Actually," Erika dragged on. "_I_ dragged _him_ into trouble. But for the record, I took the most hits!"

Winry just sighed and looked at her exasperated. "You make it sound like a game!" Then she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Never mind…It's useless talking to _you_ two out of everyone about this…"

Erika laughed nervously.

"Oh yeah!" Greed piped up. "Did you tell the girl that you joined the military again?"

"WHAT?"

"Crap! What the hell, Greed!"

"Shit. I thought you already told her back there."

"YOU STUPID TROUBLE-MAKING, PIPSQUEAK MIDGET!"

And that was the moment Erika's fist was permanently outlined on Ed's face.

* * *

><p>Erika sighed, bringing her cup of coffee to her lips. "You're part of the military again? You're such an idiot!"<p>

"I get it, I get it! Shut up, Hot Head!" Ed snapped, applying ice to his cheek.

Amy laughed nervously while Winry just shook her head. "Imagine Erika; it could be worse," Amy tried to reason.

Erika scoffed, glaring daggers into Edward. "Like what? Hell itself?" she snarled. "The military itself is an exact replica of hell, anyway! Why not jump right into the depths of fire?"

"It's not that bad," Winry said trying to calm her friend down. "This way he can help you out and it won't be so hard on you."

She raised an eyebrow at her. "I figured _you _out of all people would be the most pissed off, Win. Are you okay with it?"

"No," the blonde admitted. Then she glared at Ed from the corner of her eye. "But I learned to give up on thinking he would stop putting himself in danger. I guess it's in his nature."

"Point blank," they said in unison. Ed sweat dropped.

Alphonse sighed. "I can't defend you much on this one, Brother…"

"Ah, come on!"

Erika sighed, rubbing her thighs to get some feeling back into them. "Well, Win, I think I'm going to have to go back to HQ and report back. I'll make sure to send you letters and call in to keep you updated."

"Oh, I know _you _will," Winry said, purposefully sending Edward a pointed look. "Just make sure to keep Ed in line, will you?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." Erika glared at him. "I'll make sure to keep a very close eye. After all, the idiot needs to learn how to write a letter sometime soon."

Ed sweat dropped again.

"That reminds me!" Winry said, looking back at the brunette. "Havoc's been going places with Mr. Garfiel. He should be back soon."

She laughed. "I just hope he handled Mr. Garfiel well! I hope he hadn't dragged him shopping…" Winry laughed as well.

Edward looked at Amy with a pleading face. "Are they going to ignore me like this for a while?"

Amy laughed. "Never underestimate a woman's scorn, Edward! Nothing is more painful than that."

Ed had the feeling that he was going to have one hell of a time back at HQ.

* * *

><p><strong>And so, I end it like that! OH NO! Not the story! the chapter! Jsut the chapter! -_-" ANYWAY, since I had taken SUCH a long time to update this, My OneShot Contest is up again! Except it different! Just PM with your oneshot idea and I'll try to write it! I won't guarantee I'll get to all of them, but I will try my best! OK, that's all!<strong>

**Until Next Chap! **=:D


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